


Go And Catch A Falling Star

by Ayearandaday



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben has nice sweaters, Ben is oblivious, Ben is shy, Ben runs warm, Boss/Employee Relationship, Devoted Reylo, Established Relationship, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Good Parent Han Solo, Han and Leia aren't flustered easily, Han is a cool dad, He knows everything about Skywalkers' cockblocking powers, I know I've written it before, Leia knows that height difference is important in relationship, Meddly Mama Leia, Meet-Cute, Poe is an idiot, Rey bakes cakes, Rey is a sweetheart, Rey is always cold, Rey only wanted to surprise Ben, Reylo Kids, Romantic Fluff, Single Dad Ben, Solos can't have normal weddings, Sorry Not Sorry, Teacher-Student Relationship, Unsolicited sex advice, Weddings, accidental proposal, am i right?, and adorable, ballet dancer Rey, leia wants grandkids, mermaid au, not on his watch!, she sort of succeeded, unlike their son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2020-04-06 02:56:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 18,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19053814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayearandaday/pseuds/Ayearandaday
Summary: Just a bunch of drabbles and one-shots.





	1. Blossom

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another flower shop AU no one asked for.

“Have a nice day!” Rey waves another happy customer. She is so lucky living her dream as a flower shop owner. Her business is blooming (no pun intended), she is surrounded by beautiful flowers and her every day is brightened by smiles she put on the faces of her customers. Not bad for an orphan from Jakku.

Rey grins at Finn, who leaves work earlier today for his date. She adjusts sunflowers in the vase, straightens bright ribbons on the hanger and then she notices _him_. It’s difficult to miss him with his towering height, wide shoulders and general impression of a bull in a china shop. He is probably a first-timer judging from his expression of a lost puppy. Rey bites her lip to hide a smile.

“Good afternoon! Do you need any help?” The man turns toward her and oh, he is even more attractive than she originally thought. It is difficult not to get lost in his beautiful chocolate eyes.

“Please,” he says and his voice makes her shiver. She gives him a huge dimpled smile.

“I’m Rey. What kind of occasion do you have in mind?” _Please, say your mom’s birthday._

“Um, first date. I’m Ben, by the way,” he finishes awkwardly. _Oh._ Of course this gorgeous man is already taken. She valiantly fights her disappointment and gives him her best customer tone.

“Well, Ben, what kind of flowers does your lady prefer? Or gentleman?” she adds quickly. He blinks.

“The lady. Frankly, no idea. I’m a bit lost here,” Ben says helplessly. Rey seizes him up.

“What is her favorite color?” He sighs running a hand through his luscious locks. Rey tries not to stare.

“Not sure. You see, I do not know her that well. We work together, but she had no interest in me and finally she agreed to go out and I really don’t want to mess this up, because look at me…” Ben gushes nervously.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rey asks confusedly.

“My face,” he gestures.

“Beautiful.”

“And my nose.”

“Regal.”

“And my ears!” Ben exclaims desperately, lifting his hair.

“Cute,” Rey says without a second thought. Because they are.

“Do you do this with all your customers?” he asks suspiciously.

“Nope, only with those I like,” she grins. “Listen, Ben, I have several ideas. You can go with daisies, they symbolize loyal love and innocence and look cheerful, but I’m afraid they are not sophisticated enough.” He nods in agreement. “You can choose orchids, but they may be too much for you. The obvious answer is roses. Everyone else I would suggest a single red rose, but for you,” Rey smiles encouragingly, “I’d go with these,” she shows him tiny soft pink roses. “They are beautiful and you won’t look like you are trying too hard.” Ben’s eyes lit up. Rey’s heart skips a beat.

 “You are a lifesaver, you know?” he says paying for the bouquet.

“I know,” she grins cheekily. “Good luck with your date!”

 

An hour later Rey closes the shop and heads to her usual bus station. As she draws closer she notices a familiar figure.

“Ben!” she calls before she hasd a time to stop herself. The last thing he needs is to be harassed by her on his own date. Then he turns and Rey immediately sees that that isn’t a problem as something has already went terribly wrong. Ben’s shoulders are hunched, his jaw is set and he is still clutching the bouquet. “Is everything OK?” she asks softly.

“Yes,” he chuckls mirthlessly, “if it is normal for your date to not to show at all and then just text you that she wasn’t going to go in the first place and said yes just to get rid of you.” Rey’s heart breaks for him.

“Oh, Ben.”

“I’m fine, seriously. I just…” he lowers his eyes, then remembered the flowers. “Take this. I don’t need it anymore.” Rey automatically takes them, her brain going a mile a minute. She licks her lips.

“Ben, I’m going to say something out of line and you are totally allowed to say no, but since the position of your girlfriend is currently vacant, would you like to go out?” He stars at her, flabbergasted.

“What?” Rey flushs.

“I mean, would you like to go out with me? If you want to?” He stares at her with wide shocked eyes.

“But you are…”

“What?”

“ _Beautiful_.” At that Rey giggles. Mirth bubbles in her chest like champaign.

“And you are very handsome, ears and all.  And humble, which is a huge turn-on, I must say.” Ben flushed the prettiest shade of scarlet. How can this man be so perfect?

“Um, it is? I mean, when?” Oh, today is her lucky day.

“No time like the present!” Rey announces confidently and reaches to grab his hand. As their fingers interlock, Ben looks at her as if she personally hung the moon. “Come on, I know a good Mexican place nearby.” She has a good feeling about this date.


	2. High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Library AU because of course.

Benjamin Solo (Ben for friends only) had always taken his work quite seriously. This was precisely what made him Chief Librarian of the Knight Library at the ripe age of thirty-one. His colleagues even jokingly called him Master of the knight, which didn’t bother him in a slightest. After all, everything, libraries including, needed order and Benjamin was good at bringing it.

He wasn’t a type to hide in his office, unlike his predecessor, the infamous Dr. Snoke did. No, Benjamin regularly checked, how the things were going on and lent a hand when needed (contrary to the popular belief, students were not the only ones who suffered during exam week). That was how he saw her first. A girl in a beige hoodie was standing on her tiptoes trying (and failing) to get a book from the top row. Ben almost advised her to get a stepstool when he realized that there wasn’t one in vicinity. With a mental note to inform his staff later he approached the girl from behind and effortlessly got a book for her. Poor thing jumped from a start, then looked at him with wide hazel eyes. She was quite pretty, Ben noticed, without a trace of make-up, her natural beauty shining despite clear luck of sleep.

“Your book,” he said simply.

“Thank you, Sir,” the girl smiled showing her dimples.

“Fluid dynamics, huh?” She flushed.

“I study Mechanical Engineering.” Benjamin nodded. The girl seemed to be a dedicated student.

“Well, good luck with your exams.”

“Rey,” she supplied.

“Rey.”

“Thank you, Mr….”

“Solo. Benjamin Solo.” The girl smiled showing her dimples.

“I guess, I see you around, Mr. Solo.” Unlikely, thought Ben to himself.

 

Apparently the girl – Rey – was right. Two weeks later he found her struggling to get another tome from the top shelf, but this time she was wearing a dress. It shifted higher from her movements revealing shapely golden legs. For a split second Benjamin forgot what he was doing there, then he came to his senses and cleared his throat. Rey turned back.

“Mr. Solo!”

“Allow me.” He easily snatched the book and raised his eyebrow. “Comparative religion?”

“For my minor,” Rey explained. Ben frowned.

“I thought exams are over?”

“I signed for summer class,” she confessed blushing prettily. The girl was full of surprises.

“Oh. Then we’ll probably meet again,” he said with a slight smile.

“We will,” Rey nodded.

 

And they did. Apparently she had a penchant for top shelf books and distractingly short skirts. On the top of that Rey had a wide range of interests.

“Introduction to the dog grooming?” Benjamin asked as she adjusted a short jeans number which revealed way too much of her toned legs for his calmness.

“Helping a friend,” Rey flushed.

“Interesting.”

 

“Etiquette in Victorian Era?” he raised his eyebrow. Thirty seconds ago half of the floor enjoyed the view of her uncovered ankles as Rey balanced precariously on a stepstool. He was lucky to catch her before she could injure herself.

“Broadening my horizons,” she explained shyly.

“That you do,” Ben commented absentmindedly.

 

“A brief history of time,” he said, not even surprised.

“What? It’s classic,” Rey said defensively adjusting something else quite brief.

“I’m just amazed by your tastes,” Ben answered smoothly. Fashion tastes in particular.

 

“Grimm’s Fairytales? Seriously?” he asked with annoyance. Just a minute ago a couple of undergrads watched with interest as Rey tried to get the book in her short blue excuse of a dress. The boys immediately disappeared under his glare, but his mood was already spoiled.

“You have problem with that?” she asked stubbornly.

“Yes, I do. You have three rows of their works, why on earth do you need the top one?”

“It’s a Jewel Edition,” she said as if it explained everything. Ben pinched the bridge of his nose.

“My God, sometimes I think that you do this just to taunt me.” Rey flushed the prettiest shade of pink. He blinked, then narrowed his eyes. “Do you put on these skirts to tease me?” Her flush deepened. Interesting. “Answer me, Rey.”

“Yes,” she responded timidly, her eyes downcast.

“Why?” The girl bit her lip. “Rey?”

“So that you notice me. You never do.” Well, that was definitely not true, though what made this pretty bright girl take interest in him was beyond Ben’s comprehension.

“And why did you want me to notice you?” He lifted her face with a finger under her chin. “Answer me.”

“Because I like you,” she whispered.

“Hmmm. Such a smart girl like you sure knows how to use her words. Why didn’t you say so?” Rey looked away. “It’s so simple to ask. Are you free tonight? Would you like to have dinner with me?”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly taking step back. Ben caught her wrist easily.

“Where are you going? You didn’t answer my question.” Rey looked at him confusedly.

“What question?”

“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

“Yes!” she nodded enthusiastically then remembered herself. “I mean, I must check my schedule. My lab ends at seven thirty.” Ben chuckled.

“I’m off the clock at eight. Meet me here?”

“Sure,” Rey beamed at him.

“And please, I beg you, wear something a bit longer. I really, really want to be able to think about something else than your legs.”

“We’ll see about that,” she smiled cheekily. Ben groaned. That minx will be the death of him.


	3. Splash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern mermaid AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was posted from the phone, so sorry in advance if format is off.

_Ben sees something sparkle in the water. It’s green and shiny but he can’t figure out what it is. He leans closer. Suddenly the boat tilts and the rail slips out of his hand and then he is falling. The water is cold and stings like a hundred of needles. It gets in his nose and his ears and his mouth when he tries to scream but no one hears him and he can’t breeze and he can’t swim and all he can is struggle helplessly against cold waves. His vision darkens and then he feels hands against his skin. Warm. They are warm, but the tail is cold._ Wait, tail? _Ben forces his eyes to open. His heart skips a beat. A mermaid. He can’t see her properly, only bits he barely distinguishes. Strong tail. Golden skin. Three buns. Hazel eyes. And then he is being lifted and water splashes from a plunge strong body makes and he is in his father’s arms and his mother is crying and someone is telling him that he was a silly careless boy and he could die, and how could he when they love him so much?_

 

Ben wakes up with a start. He has had the same nightmare for ages. He knows it is perfectly explanatory: he was eight, he fell from his father’s yacht, he almost died, he dreamed of a mermaid. His dad jumped after him and saw nothing. For all his efforts to prove otherwise the mysterious creature remained a figment of his imagination. He couldn’t even remember her properly, sometimes she was a child, sometimes a grown woman, but the details remained the same: golden skin, hazel eyes, green tail. A wonder in his boring mundane world.

Ben has always longed for wonders. Maybe it was his father’s blood that called for adventures, maybe his mother’s rebellious streak. Either way, his parents were not surprised when he

decided to become a marine biologist. Though they were probably relieved that he wouldn’t follow his uncle’s footsteps and study mythology or religion.

Because of this he returned to the place where everything begun, a little Hawaiian paradise of an island.

“You ready, Solo?” he hears Phasma’s crisp voice in his ear.

“As I can be,” he replies. They have done it plenty of times by now – him diving and her coordinating. They are filming materials for their research, one that can very well prove his and Hux’s theory. If they are lucky they could also sell the feed for some science channel. After all, coral reefs and sunk ships look good on a screen.

Ben doesn’t turn the camera on just yet. The light is bad and nothing interesting is actually going on anyway. He slowly approaches the body of the ship. It’s still impressive even after all these years under water. Ben is able to distinguish letters – ‘th Sta’. ‘North Star’ perhaps?

“Are you filming yet?” Phasma asks.

“Light is all wrong,” he says, then catches a movement from the corner of his eye. “Wait, I think I see something inside.”

“Copy that.”

Ben slowly approaches the belly of the ship. There is a huge breach on its side and through it he sees a shade of movement. It could be just a reflection or it could be something big. Both scientifically and physically. He carefully enters.

The room probably used to belong to the Capitan, but Ben pays little attention to it. His flashlight comes to life just in time to show the flick of a long tail. He mindlessly rushes after it. It hurries away. They move through the dark and twisted belly of the ship until the thing (a particularly big fish?) bumps into an unsteady beam and suddenly centuries-old wood gives its way and falls. Ben stops dead in his tracks. He tentatively approaches the creature. It trashes violently trying to free itself from the nets that have fallen. His light slowly travels up the thing’s body revealing strong green tail that morphs into skin around the waist. _Human skin_. His breath hitches. The creature is half-human, its – hers hands still when she meets his stare. Her eyes are terrified and… _hazel._

His comm comes to life.

“Solo, what’s going on?” Ben is locked in the stare with the mermaid. Finally, finally he has a proof of what he really had seen that day. Mermaids exist. Magic is real.

“Solo!” Phasma barks and Ben abruptly reminds that the world is not prepared for magic. It is full of places like secret governmental organisations and private research facilities where wonders are scrutinised and dissected until nothing is left.

It’s simple. He can be right or she can be safe.

“Solo!”

“Here. False alarm. A beam fell down.” The mermaid’s shoulders sage in relief. Phasma sighs.

“You idiot, get out of there, or I’ll get you myself.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He frees the creature from the net. She doesn’t fight, just stares at him, then gives him barely there smile and disappears in the depth of the ocean.

 

Surprisingly, Ben doesn’t enter another mermaid obsession phase. He knows that she is out there, she is safe and that’s enough. He just goes on with his life and that’s how he finds himself giving a lecture in Marine Biology University. This part of his job Ben adores – being able to share his love with others similar-minded people. The attendance is free and the crowd is a mix of students, professors and sea affectionados. He gives a passionate talk on coral reefs, answers the questions, than stays to catch up with his colleagues. Professor Kanata, a diminutive woman with giant glasses and an unprecedented list of scientific merits, pats his hand and smiles.

“You did a sound work, young man. My friend was really impressed.”

“Your friend?”

“Let me introduce you to Rey.” She says something else but Ben is too busy staring into earie familiar hazel eyes. It cannot be. Except that it can, because he can recognize the slope of her shoulders, the raise of her chin, her three-bun hairstyle anywhere. It’s just that this magical creature stands on her own two legs and… Oh God, she is talking to him.

“…really like your take on reefs preservation, Doctor Solo.” His brain finally catches on.

“Ben. Please, call me Ben.” She smiles and his heartrate doubles.

“Ben. I’m Rey, Rey Niima.”

“Pleasure to meet you.  Are you also a scientist?” he asks.

“Me? No, I ran a salvage shop here, on the island. Give old things a second life. I’m just really passionate about the ocean, it’s our home, after all.” She smiles with a secretive barely there smile and Ben thinks he knows exactly what she means.

“I know the feeling,” he says instead.

“Of course you do,” Rey smiles. “Listen, I don’t want to steal you from your colleagues right now, but if you want to have a chat, feel free to find me at Niima Outpost. That’s my shop,” she adds.

“I will,” Ben promises. He knows exactly what he has to do.


	4. Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reylo kid AU

"Pregnant," Leia gasped, tears streaming down her face.

"We are," confirmed Ben wrapping Rey tightly into his arms.

"I’m so happy," his mother sobbed, "finally I’ll have another girl in the family. Perfect little princess." Rey looked at her husband with concern.

"Mom, we don’t even now the gender yet," Ben tried to reason.

"Oh, hush, I know better. She’ll have the best dresses and shoes and princess room," Leia droned excitingly. "I’m arranging baby shower, that’s the least you can do after that stunt you pulled instead of a proper wedding." Ben and Rey shared a worried look. "We are going with pink and white theme. Oh, and I know perfect wallpapers for her bedroom. Pastel unicorns!"

 

"So, Sweetheart, how does it feel living your dream?" smirked Han. Rey averted her eyes while Ben chocked on his lemonade. Leia glared at him. She turned  Kira’s sixth birthday into a fluffy frilly pink dream. The whole garden was covered in pink and white balloons, the cake was a pure masterpiece and there was not a single spot that wasn't decorated with tulle or ribbons. The birthday girl in white lacy dress and flower crown was running ahead of a horde of boys (Kira preferred male company) clutching a red lightsaber in one hand and Darth Vader mask in another. Perfect princess girl indeed.

"What is that atrocity?" Hissed Leia.

"Mm? Oh, she is currently in Star Wars phase," smiled Rey blithely.

"Huh? Last time I checked she was into the Avengers," blinked Poe.

"That was the last time," sighed Ben.

"So Iron Man and Captain Marvel PJs are out of question?" asked concerned Finn.

"That’s why you should have stick to Barbie, you can’t go wrong with that," Leia smiled smugly.

"Yeah, that’s why she is playing with the Millennium Falcon I bought her," smirked Han. Rey bit her lip to hide a grin.

"Baby girl, put down that cake, you have already had enough," she called her granddaughter.

"I’m Kira Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren, and I can do whatever I want!" the girl screamed in reply.

"She is spoiled rotten," Leia pinched her lips.

"I wonder whom thank for that," muttered Ben.

"Will your other children be a handful too?" sighed Finn.

"Yeah, about  that," Ben scratched his neck awkwardly.

"You aren’t!"

"We totally are," grinned Rey.

"Oh my God! I’m so happy!" Leia burst out crying. "Do you know?.."

"We are hoping for a boy," Ben smiled kissing his wife’s temple.

"A boy! A nice Jewish boy, grandma’s pride and joy! He’ll make such a wonderful doctor! Or a lawyer! Or a politician!" Rey looked dubiously at Ben. He shook his head. Poe snorted loudly.

"Good luck with that, Sweetheart," smirked Han.


	5. Lace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lingerie shop AU, boss-employee relationship

“No, seriously, what do you want me to do? To beg? To kneel?” Ben asked desperately. Kaydel smirked.

“Tempting, but no. Please?” she made her beast approximation of puppy dog eyes.

“That’s lingerie shop,” he whispered with horror. “Shouldn’t you go with friends?”

“ _You_  are my friend,” Kaydel said innocently.

“Your  _lady_  friends, I mean. What will your fiancé say?”

“Poe? If anything goes according to the plan, he’ll thank you. Please, Ben, I just want to surprise him on our wedding night and my friends only suggest something that looks cute,” she sighed. “I don’t want to look cute, I want to look sexy, desirable, wanted. Please, Ben, I just need male perspective.”

“But you are like sister to me!” he  protested. “That’s almost incest!” Kaydel huffed.

“For God’s sake, don’t look at  _me_ , look at the lingerie!” She narrowed her eyes. Ben knew that look very well. It meant that he had lost.

 

Dainty white armchair was too small for his long frame. Pastel interior unnerved him. Ben sulked. Kaydel, on the other hand, beamed with happiness.

“What about this one?” she waved pink baby-doll.

“Too childish,” he grumbled.

“And this?” Kaydel shoved in his face black lace-and leather monstrosity.

“Too kinky,” was his resolute answer.

“And this?” she examined a mysterious item made solely of criss-cross ribbons.

“Don’t even think about that. Poe will be trying to get you out of it the whole night. Trust me, we were boy scouts together, he is hopeless with ropes.” Kaydel grinned.

“See? You are helping!”

It took her one hour to realise her mistake. As soon as Ben vetoed all the obviously weird choices he was out of his depth.

“This or previous?” asked the bride-to-be for umpteenth time twirling around in a white set. He shrugged.

“Aren’t they the same?”

“No!” Kaydel protested indignantly, “the lace is completely different and here the ribbon is blue.”

“Looks just the same,” huffed Ben. “I told you to ask your girlfriends, not me.”

“You are impossible,” she muttered until striding around the corner and knocking on another stall’s door. “Excuse me, miss, may I ask you something?” Kaydel proceeded to talk to the mysterious woman and he sighed in relief.

Which was completely premature because five minutes later they turned back and the air was knocked out of his lungs as he recognised his new intern. His very beautiful intern clad only in a pair of very short shorts and a delicate pink bra. Poor girl flushed all over. Ben’s brain, unlike his other traitorous organ, ceased to function, probably because all his blood rushed south. Never in his life had he been more grateful for Kaydel’s taste in handbags, because the one currently resting in his lap was perfectly obscuring the suspicious tenting he had no desire to explain.

“Miss Niima!” Ben chocked.

“Mister Solo!” poor girl squeaked before darting away.

“Huh, maybe they have that set in white?” Kaydel mused. “You two know each other?” she asked curiously, her eyes sparkling.

“She works for me, at least before Luke snatches her for himself in two weeks,” he explained awkwardly. These two weeks were going to be a fucking ‘treat’.

“Interesting,” hummed the blonde before following Rey. Ben groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. The image of her golden skin in pink lace was burned on his eyelids. What would Rey think of him, ogling her like that while clearly being there with another woman?  _Way to go, Solo._

Fifteen minutes later Kaydel returned looking quite pleased with herself.

“I’ve settled everything!” she announced.

“Oh? Good for you,” Ben muttered.

“I’m picking this set. Rey is fine, by the way. I explained her the whole mess.” He lifted his brow suspiciously.

“You did?”

“Yep, just told her why you are here and that you are single,” she clarified nonchalantly.

“Why the fuck?..”

“Solo, do you seriously think I missed how you stared at her?” Kaydel smirked. “Besides, she is free on July, 6th.”

“You invited her to your wedding?!”

“ _You_  are inviting her to my wedding. As your date.” Ben blinked in shock.

“I’m her boss! And I don’t think her boyfriend would like it anyway.”

“You won’t be in two weeks and she is single,” she smirked. “What? I asked. It’s time you find yourself a good girl.”

“I can do that without your meddling,” he grumbled. Kaydel looked at him dubiously.

“U-hu. Anyway, you are asking Rey out in two weeks,” she narrowed her eyes, “ _or else_.” Yep, Ben was totally fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by my latest purchase. Nope, I didn't see my boss, but there was plenty of knocking on the door and bothering sales assistants. Fanfiction makes things much more exciting.


	6. Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Best friends AU. Older Ben, younger Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day? Yep, that's me. Stranger things happened.

Rey buries her face in Ben’s neck sniffling pitifully. Her sobs subsided, but she is not ready to leave the safety of his arms just yet. Her dearest friend rubs soothing circles in her back.

“Tell me, baby girl, what’s wrong?” Rey knows he is worried sick. She left for a date and returned a mess and if it was not for her pitiful state, Ben would have already found and strangled her bo…  ex-boyfriend with his bare hands. “Rey, please, talk to me. What did he do? Did he hurt you?” She sniffs again.

“No, nothing. I… We were making out in his car and he wanted to go farther and I said no. And he…” Ben tenses.

“He what?” She wants to tell exactly what her asshole of an ex said, but she doesn’t want her friend to commit a murder.

“He called me names that men use for women who refuse to have sex with them. Because I refused to lose my virginity like that.” Here, everything is out. Ben exhales slowly, tension gradually leaving his body.

“Baby girl…”

“No, I know, he is a mean asshole and anyway none of it is true.” He kisses the crown of her head.

“No, of course not. You did everything right. Than prick just wasn’t good enough for you.” At that Rey snorts. No one is as kind, or caring, or respectful as Ben. No one understands her like him. In her experience not a single boy she ever dated could hold a candle to him, not really.

“Of course he wasn’t. No one is as good as you are, Benny, but I can’t date you, can I?” He inhales sharply, his hand ceases it’s soothing motion. Rey pays no attention to it, her inner voice suddenly asking  _why not?_  No one is good enough for her, but  _Ben_  is. She leans back to look better at him.

“Can I? Date you?” He chocks.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Rey begs to differ. No one will be as gentle and loving as Ben. No one will take better care of her. There is a chance that he simply doesn’t feel this way, but then again Ben has always prioritised her over any other relationship of his. He can’t not feel the same, with the way he looks at her. Rey wonders why she haven’t noticed it before.

“Why?” she asks. Ben looks pained.

“I… It’s wrong. Sweetheart, I’m five years older than you.” She scoffs.

“So? Your parents have ten years difference.” He looks at her desperately, his resolve crumbling.

“You are not even eighteen, I can’t take advantage of you.” Rey gently cups his cheek.

“I’ll be eighteen in two month. If that makes you feel better, I can promise you to keep my hands to myself until then.” Ben nuzzles her palm unconsciously and she knows she’d won.

“Sweetheart,” he pleads.

“Please, I just want to know how it feels to date someone who truly cares about me” she says looking him straight in the eye. Ben stares at her for a long, long moment, then turns slightly and places a kiss on her palm. Rey’s heart flutters in her chest. She leans in and captures his lips. It’s a slow gentle thing that makes her lightheaded, and warm all over and so very, very happy. Her poor heart beats so hard it almost jumps out of her chest. Ben’s hands cradle her head gently and she wonders why, oh why they wasted so much time not being together like this. This is the belonging she sought. This is  _everything_.

“Sweetheart,” Ben whispers leaning his forehead against hers, “I…”

“I know,” she whispers back, “I feel it too.”


	7. Shy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shy Rey, confident Ben.

The first thing Ben noticed about Rey Kenobi was her shyness. It was weird – usually he focused on legs or lips or, well, boobs. But when Dameron introduced them and the girl lifted her demurely cast down eyes up (and up, and up – he wasn’t a small man by any means and she was tiny compared to him) she flushed the prettiest shade of red. Ben wasn’t a kinky person (well, particularly kinky) but her blush prompted him to kiss her knuckles instead of a handshake. Rey went scarlet and just like that he was hooked.

Ben didn’t do relationship. There were plenty of women (or men) willing to have some fun with no strings attached, so he never bothered. Why would he? Life was good as it was. Rey couldn’t be a one-night stand though, she was too ingrained in his life being Poe’s friend, Luke’s student, his dad’s assistant and his mom’s new pet project. No, Rey was there to stay so Ben resorted himself to look-but-not-touch policy.

It didn’t mean he couldn’t tease her, though. A few whispered words, a simple caress and his sweet innocent Rey flushed the prettiest pink. Oh, he _lived_ for those moments. Ben never was crude or handsy with her, she just seemed to respond to his presence like that, an epitome of blushing virgin. Well, he wasn’t sure on that part, Rey was in her early twenties and quite pretty after all, but there were no boyfriends he was aware about so he simply assumed she was one. Either way, something about this girl made his blood boil and he hadn’t even kissed her once.

Not that he was going to. Ben simply complimented Rey on her new blouse ("green makes your eyes pop, Sweetheart") making her flush prettily, and Poe was already shooting daggers on him.

“Solo, she is not another notch in your belt!” Ben scoffed.

“Of course not, I never treated her like that.” Dameron gave him a hard stare.

“Good. Don’t forget that.” As if.

Next time he encountered Rey, it was in his uncle’s library. The girl was standing on her tiptoes reaching for a book too high. Of course Ben couldn’t not help. He quietly got behind her, his chest against her back, his left hand steadying her while his right got the coveted book. Rey gasped, her face flushing red. Ben was just beginning to wonder whether that blush spread all the way down to delicate chest when his uncle loudly cleared his throat.

“Ben, can I have a moment, please?” He barely supressed an eyeroll.

“What? You want to lecture me?” Luke pressed his lips into a tight line.

“Listen, I care about you a lot…” Ben snorted, “but I also care about Rey’s wellbeing. It’s my duty to protect her from a…”

“Big Bad Wolf?” he mocked.

“An unnecessary attachment.”

“Oh really? I’m unnecessary?” Ben asked tersely.

“Yes,” replied Luke evenly, “if you are going to lead her on.”

“I’m not leading her on, we are just friends.” Two men stared at each other.

“Perhaps, but does Rey know about this?”

Later Ben reflected on that conversation for quite some time. Surely she knew they were just friends, right? He never actually tried to get in her panties after all. So he just ignored it.

Ben happened to be at Han’s shop when Rey was finishing. He decided to give her a ride (he was raised as a gentleman), and was waiting for he. She was surely taking her time.

“You all right there, kid?” he called.

“Yeah, my shoe strap got stuck,” Rey replied back. Ben stride into the dressing room kneeling at her side.  

“Let me see.” Poor girl went crimson when he placed her foot in his lap, her breath hitching. It took just a couple of moments to adjust the stubborn strap. ”All set.” Rey smiled, then gasped in shock. Han awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Hi, kid. Do you have a moment?” Ben sighed.

“What, you want to chastise me as well?” Han run a hand through his hair.

“Look, Rey is a good kid. I just don’t want to see her hurt.”

“It’s not like that,” Ben hissed through clenched teeth.

“Good, good.”

“Now I only need an earful from Mom and I’m all set,” Ben commented wryly.

Of course Leia didn’t make him wait for long. It wasn’t his fault – Rey fell from the stairs. He acted on instincts scooping her into bridal carry, taking her to the nearest couch and kneeling in front of her to take care of her scratched knees and hurt ankle, not even looking on her flaming cheeks. His mother observed the whole interaction with grim expression.

“What do you think you are doing?” she asked him, not unkindly.

“What does it look like? Seducing your precious protégé,” Ben snarked. Leia sighed.  

“Listen, I know you meant well, but have you considered Rey’s feelings?”

“What did I do to her  _feelings_?” he asked incredulously.

“Do you know that Rey has attachment issues? That she grew up in foster system?” No, he had no idea. “You understand  that she is not like one of your girls? Break-up will crush her.” There was a sharp pang in his chest, both for his poor girl and for himself.

“It’s not like that, mom, Rey is important to me.” Leia looked sternly.

“Then promise she will  _never_  be an one-night stand. Ever.” Ben did. Only with Rey’s best interests in mind.

Since than he tried to keep his distance, though she didn’t make it easy. Every time Rey lowered her eyes shyly, or flushed, or bit her lip, it did  _things_  to him. Sometimes Ben wondered if that insufferable girl was doing it on purpose, but no, Rey was too sweet and innocent for such things. The temptation was so strong that he finally decided to avoid her altogether. He lasted precisely two month.

Technically, it wasn’t Ben’s fault. It was his mother’s birthday, and Leia invited  _everyone_. He was fairly sure he won’t  even find her in the crowd but the fate decided otherwise and it was fucking cruel. Ben wasn’t sure whether he wanted to thank ort to kill the person who put Rey in that dress. It was short red thing that clung to her every curve and made wonders to her beautiful toned legs. The neckline was fairly modest, thank God for small mercy, but then she turned and Ben realized with horror that the dress was backless.

“You ok, buddy?” asked Poe, worried by the chocking sound he made. “Ah,” he smirked knowingly following Ben’s line of sight. “You should go say ‘hi’,” he suggested.

“I… What? You want me near  _her_?! Dressed like that?” Poe lifted his eyebrow.

“Obviously. You’ll do a good job of scaring away all those guys that make her uncomfortable. But if you are not…” Ben wasn’t listening anymore. He turned once again into Rey’s direction only to see how many other admirers attracted her choice of attire. His poor girl was indeed tense but too timid to tell them off. While Uncle Lando was harmless, Ben wasn’t so sure about that Wexley guy, but when he saw Hux of all people trying to touch her, his blood boiled. In a couple of angry strides Ben appeared at her side wrapping possessive hand around her.

“Missed me, Sweetheart?” Rey melted into him gratefully, flushing prettily.

“You have no idea.”

“Hey, Solo…” started the ginger bastard, then he saw the look on Ben’s face and made himself scarce.

“Come on, Sweetheart, let’s get you a drink,” he whisked her away, his firmly hand planted on her bare back.

Ben remained at Rey’s side for the rest of the day. His father and uncle gave him questioning looks to which he answered with a stubborn glare. Luke sighed, Han smirked. Leia almost burned a hole in his head when he announced that he’s taking Rey home.

“Han can do it.”

“No need,” Ben replied curtly. They glared at each other for a minute, then Leia sighed, resigned.

“Make sure she’ll get home safe.” And quieter, “you promised.”

Ben did. He drove her straight to her building and went with her to her door. Rey looked at him through her lashes shyly.

“Do you want a drink? A tea or water?” He smirked. Sweet girl didn’t know how to invite him in.

“No, but I would like something else. Can I kiss you?” Rey went scarlet all over.

“M- maybe?”

“You don’t sound confident, Sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear. “Perhaps  _you_  should kiss me, if you are sure?” She blinked at him than tentatively planted a chaste kiss on his lips. Oh, that won’t do. Ben leaned in and kissed her properly pouring into it all the emotions he was repressing since they met.

“Inside,” Rey whispered in daze when they parted. Her hand shook when she opened the door, but it did not when it snaked around his neck. Ben wasn’t sure how, but somehow they ended up with him pinning her against the wall kissing the living daylight out of her.

“Bedroom,” Rey tugged his hair insistently.

“You sure? Have you…”

“Yes, yes, Ben, please.” How could he refuse when she asked so sweetly? He scooped her up into bridal carry following her directions until he could deposit her on her bed. She looked at him shyly, her pupils blown wide.

“Rey, baby, how do you want it?” She licked her lips.

“Can I… Can I tie you?” Ben blinked confusedly. Surely he misheard.

“Sweetheart?”

“I’ll feel more confident if I tie you up,” she smiled demurely opening her nightstand drawer full of  _very_  interesting things. “Do you want cuffs or silk ties?”

“Rey…” Ben croaked, his jaw on the floor.

“I’d like to blindfold you too, but we can work on that later.” He decided then and there that he would marry this woman, even though she would be the death of him.


	8. Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Historical AU

“We cannot see each other again,” sobbed Rey, her cheeks wet with tears.

“What are you talking about, Sweetheart?” Benjamin’s head was reeling. Seeing his beloved in such distress and hearing such harsh words… If there was one thing he was certain about, it was his little Rachel’s love. She would never leave him out of her own free will, which meant that it was something her despicable guardian did. “What is wrong, love?” She cried desperately.

“Oh Ben, I am to be married!” His heart broke both for him and his beloved. “Married to an older, ugly, rich,  cruel lord with a terrible temper, Mr. Plutt personally arranged it!”

“Refuse,” Benjamin pleaded, “just tell him no.”

“I can’t, don’t you see? My guardian will make my life hell!” Though it was unlikely that Mr. Plutt could make Rachel’s life worse than it already was, he wasn’t willing to take chances.

“Then run away with me!” Ben proclaimed.

“What?” hiccupped Rey. He kneeled before her.

“Rachel Smith, will you do me an honour and become my wife?” Poor lamb gasped.

“You can’t! Oh Ben, you can’t! I’m nothing and you are….”

“You are everything to me, don’t you know? You already have my heart, it is only right that you should have my name.” Rey sniffed.

“But you are engaged to be married!”

“Yes, to some pampered granddaughter of my grandfather’s friend I haven’t even seen once!” Ben cried out. “Everything was arranged before either of us were born, this is not a true engagement. It means nothing to me,  _she_  means nothing to me. Rey, forget obligations, forget proprieties, marry me, please!” He offered her his hand. For a moment his love just stared at it, tears streaming down her cheeks, than nodded, her small fingers reaching for his.

“Yes, yes, Ben, let’s elope.”

 

When Mrs. Kanata, the inn’s owner, informed him about two gentlemen that had inquired about his and Rey’s whereabouts, Ben immediately prepared for a fight. He kissed his wife’s temple, asked her to wait outside and boldly entered the room.

“Benjamin,” greeted him his uncle coldly, his father less so.

“It is too late, gentlemen,” he proclaimed boldly, “The deed is done. Our marriage is consumed and you cannot separate us.” The men sighed heavily.

“Ben, do you realise how your behaviour upset…”

“And disappointed,” added Luke sternly.

“And disappointed your mother?” finished Han.

“Not to mention that you lost your chances for your grandfather’s inheritance marrying  another?” continued his uncle. Ben stood firm.

“Haven’t you always taught me to follow my heart? To do the right thing? I did what I had to do to stay true to myself and to the woman I love and if that means that I lose my money, or title or am cut out of the will, so be it.” Luke leaned closer.

“You do not care about your position at all?”

“Not as long as I am with my wife,” Benjamin replied truthfully. His father and uncle shared a look.

“In that case, my boy, you should at least introduce us my daughter-in-law,” said Han. Ben couldn’t believe it. He opened the door and beckoned his sweet girl inside.

“Father, Uncle Luke, allow me to introduce you my beloved wife Rey,” he said proudly. His precious girl smiled shyly.

“An honour to meet you.” Luke scrutinised her with his piercing blue eyes.

“What a curious name you have.”

“My Christian name is Rachel, Rey is how my guardian has always called me,” she explained bashfully.

“Guardian?” asked Han curiously.

“Yes, Sir, Mr. Unkar Plutt.”

“Is your first name Kira?”

“Yes, Sir,” she nodded.

With amazement Ben observed as his father and uncle traded incredulous glances then burst out laughing.  

“Oh, that’s too good to be true!” Han exclaimed. “Only you could pull out such a thing, Benny!”

“Pray tell me what did I do?” Luke wiped out tears from his face.

“Ben, allow me to introduce you Kira Rachel Smith-Kenobi. Rey, meet my nephew, Benjamin Bail Organa Solo Skywalker, Lord Ren.” The young couple stared at each other in shock.

“Kenobi?”

“Ren?”

“You are her!”

“You were the one I had to marry!”

“The horrible lord?”

“The pampered heiress?” Ben stared in amazement into his wife’s beautiful eyes filled with concern and uncertainty. “You didn’t want me then. Do you still…” He dropped to his knees.

“Of course, Sweetheart, I love you! It doesn’t matter what your name is.” He kissed her knuckles. Rey caressed his cheek.

“But what does it mean to us?” she asked tentatively.

“Oh, nothing,” smirked Han. “Your husband just become twenty thousand pounds a year richer.”

“Not to mention the villa in Italy,” added Luke.

“And you, my dear, get a Naberrie family jewellery.” Rey gasped.

“I don’t need those.” Han smiled.

“Of course not, you only need that silly husband of yours, only God knows how he is going to explain his mother why he eloped from his wedding only to marry the same girl.”

“You’ll be the scandal of the season,” agreed Luke. “Leia will be most  _delighted_.”

“I’m sorry,” Rey whispered.

“Oh no, my dear,” Han grinned smugly. “That’s all right. Welcome to the family.”


	9. Something Old, Something Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-wedding fluff, Reylo style

“No, Rey, you absolutely cannot!” Rose announced passionately. The other girl looked confused.  
“But why?” How do you begin to explain the intricacies of normal human behaviour to someone who basically brought themselves up on their own in the middle of the desert? To Rey average norms and customs are as logical as porgs mating dances.  
“Because…” Rose gasped for air, “because I won’t allow this farce. Your mother-in-law is a princess!”  
“Former,” Rey quipped.  
“Your fiancé is a kriffling prince.”  
“Hardly,” she snorted. “Anyway, it doesn’t mean that…”  
“You absolutely can’t use your rebuilt lightsaber as ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’!” Rose practically screamed stumping her leg to drive the point home. Rey huffed.  
“Why? I do not understand. It is blue and new and also rebuilt from Anakin’s old saber and technically I borrowed it from Ben’s family, so…” she trailed off frowning. Rose violently shook her head.  
“Rey, I literally beg you, listen to me! Think about the traditions, proprieties!” The other girl’s face turned blank. “You are going to be royalty, you should get married in pretty frilly dress with flowers in your hair, not carrying a weapon.”  
“What’s wrong with that?” she asked, puzzled. Rose was practically tearing out her own hair.  
“Ugh! Guys, tell her!” Poe and Finn both looked at her with equally innocent expressions.  
“Who, us? We know nothing about fashion.”  
“Or weddings.”  
“Or anything. We’d better go.” They moved to the door but she was faster.  
“Like hell you are! We are going to the General, she’ll talk some reason into your thick sculls.” Rey rolled her eyes.

Rose knocked twice then let herself in. Leia Organa, like a true princess she was, was taking her afternoon tea with her freshly redeemed son as her sole company. A delicate floral-patterned teacup should have looked oddly grotesque in the giant paws of former Supreme Leader, but somehow it did not. Probably his royal blood showed.  
“General? Good afternoon.” The girl gulped nervously. “Hello, Ky-Ben.” He nodded to her making space on his seat so that his fiancée could snuggle into his side. Leia smiled.  
“Good afternoon. May I inquire what is the cause of this delegation?” She nodded toward very uncomfortably looking Finn and Poe. Rose nodded.  
“General…”  
“Please, call me Leia.”  
“Leia, we…”  
“Not us,” interjected Poe. Rose ignored him.  
“We have a problem. With the wedding.” Leia raised an eyebrow.  
“Not me, though,” quipped Rey.  
“Continue,” prompted the General. Rose took a deep breath.  
“Your daughter-in-law thinks it’s a great idea to use her lightsaber as ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’,” she blurted. Leia blinked.  
“And?”  
“What do you mean ‘and’?” the girl sputtered.  
“I mean, and the problem is?..”  
“This!” Rose waived her hands in the air. “She can’t! She is going to be a- a royalty!” The General coked her head.  
“Hmm. Back in my days I used to carry a blaster and no one thought any less princess-y of me, so I fail to see your point, Rose. Though I do appreciate the concern.” Leia smiled.  
“What? How? But General… Leia… What kind of bride marries with her lightsaber?” Rose gasped.  
“Mine,” firmly responded Ben before tugging his fiancée into a heated kiss. The General shook her head.  
“Come on, kids, let’s give them some privacy.” The girl was flabbergasted.  
“Leia, how can you be so calm?” The oldert woman raised her eyebrow.  
“Why should I worry?”  
“I could suggest…” started Poe before getting Finn’s elbow in his ribs. “Ow!” Rose frowned.  
“But all the traditions, Alderaanian customs, proprieties… Are you OK that they won’t have any of it?” Leia gently pat her shoulder.  
“Rose, dear, I’ve followed the rules for all my life and let me tell you, all those dresses, the crowns, the rituals – it’s just a big load of bantha shit. None of it matters in the end.” The girl dropped her jaw in shock.  
“But…”  
“You know, I would be fine even if they want to wed naked.” Finn made a chocked sound. “I only want for my children to be happy.” Leia paused. “Oh, and grandkids. I really want grandkids. Now tell me, Rose, are you by any chances into organizing baby showers?” The girl almost combusted from excitement.  
“Yes!”  
“Tell me everything!”


	10. Lucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone is getting lucky tonight at the bar.

Poe Dameron was one hell of a lucky bastard. Only he could waltz into an interview and snatch out a most coveted job on his first day in a new town. To top that he also got a wonderful apartment for an even more wonderful rent and on his first try, no less. That deserved a celebration.

As if on a que Poe’s eye caught a bar sign. _Millennium Falcon_ turned out to be a cosy establishment with an old-fashioned aesthetic. Perfect. Now he only needed a good company to pass the time.

It was still early and the patrons were sparse. Poe confidently slid onto the chair and ordered himself a beer. The bartender was an attractive guy with dark skin and beautiful chocolate eyes. What a shame he had to work late. Poe would invite him to his bed in a heartbeat.

“First time here?” the bartender asked friendly.

“Yep, first day in town. New job, you see. Name’s Poe.”

“Finn. Welcome to Millennium Falcone.” Dameron flashed his most charming smile. The boy seemed to be hooked if Poe said so himself. With an excuse Finn rushed toward other patrons giving him a chance to admire the man’s backside.  Poe followed his movements with hungry gaze and then he saw _her_.  

_She_ was a beautiful golden-skinned goddess sitting several seats away from him. Her hair framed her delicate face in loose waves, her pouty pink lips were wrapped around the straw of her cocktail. Oh, he could suggest other things for this ethereal creature to wrap her lips around. Her dress clung to her delicate curves, her short skirt did nothing to hide her gorgeous long legs. Poe would be damned but had those legs wrapped around him by the end of the night.

Finn talked with her like with an old friend. Was she a regular? Poe was lucky, so very _very_ lucky and if his luck hold he’ll have either of them, or better yet both in his bed tonight. He smiled toward the goddess and she smiled back uncrossing her gorgeous legs. Yes, life was good.

Poe smirked into his beer. He turned back to engage the vixen into further eye-fucking when he suddenly met a brick wall. Well, a human equivalent of a brick wall. A fucking refrigerator. An elephant that had an audacity to wedge himself between Poe and his companion for the evening. OK, future companion, but who’s counting? And as if that wasn’t enough, the behemoth started to hit on his girl! How dare he?!

Poe might be seething but his goddess sure knew how to hold her own.

“Can I buy you a drink?” grumbled the dark-haired mountain. His voice was surprisingly rich and pleasing.

“No, thanks, I already have one.” The jerk run his hand through his gorgeous locks.

“I can buy you another.”

“I can do it myself,” snorted the vixen. Poe grinned at the man’s obvious embracement.

“What does such a beauty do here all alone?” Surely someone didn’t get the message.

“Waiting for my boyfriend,” the woman responded curtly. It upset him for a few seconds until Dameron realised that she probably meant him. Of course poor darling just wanted to get rid of the brute while having some fun. Poe was happy to oblige. Ignoring Finn’s weird gestures, he headed toward the jerk.

“Excuse me, this lady is taken.” The brute spread his wide shoulders pursing his pretty, quite kissable lips. Poe had to admit that the asshole was surprisingly attractive.

“What?”

“I said leave the lady alone,” he repeated slowly.

“And why would I do that?” the brute frowned.

“Because I am her boyfriend,” Poe lied smoothly.

“Excuse me?!”

“Who do you think you are, you asshole?” Surprisingly the hiss came from the leggy goddess.

“Huh?” Poe said very intelligently not sure how to proceed. “Your boyfriend?”

“Yeah. ” The vixen narrowed her eyes. “And _that_ is my fucking husband!” Poe gawked at her. This wasn’t going the way he thought.

“What?! But you… but him…”

“This is called a role-play,” the behemoth quipped smugly. “You know, a consensual activity between two willing adults.”

“So get lost,” icily added the woman. Not once in his life was Poe so embarrassed. With flushed cheeks he returned to his seat.

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” Finn chastised him quietly. Poe snorted.

“Yeah? And how was I supposed to know that? My natural instincts are to protect the delicate sex.” The cute bartender rolled his eyes nodding toward the couple.

“I am all about enthusiastic consent but Rey hardly needs sawing.” The leggy beauty – Rey – was currently dragging her mountain of a husband into a kiss by his own tie. That lucky bastard!

“Yours place or mine?” the behemoth asked looking appropriately dazed.

“Mine,” cut the vixen paying for her drink and heading out. Her husband dutifully trotted after her like a lovesick puppy. Poe shook his head.

“God. Do they do it often?” Finn shrugged.

“At least the last three years. Most patrons are used to their antics.” Well, at least someone had exciting love life. _About that_...  Poe grinned.

“Good for them. By the way, what are you doing after work tonight?”

“Making sure my wife managed to put our three-year old to sleep,” Finn smiled.  The other man’s mood immediately soured. “But I’m fairly sure that Kaydel,” he nodded toward cute blond DJ, “would like to keep you company.”

“Sorry, man,” Poe offered guiltily.

“Never mind. This happens more frequently than one would think,” Finn smiled. “Now tell me about that new job of yours.” Oh, at least he had something to be proud of. Poe grinned.

“Oh, it’s nothing grand. I’m simply a new personal assistant to Leia Organa, the Mayor.” Finn suddenly started coughing.

“What?”

“Nothing! Here, a celebratory drink for you. On the house,” the man added hastily. Poe frowned.

“You sure?”

“Yep,” Finn grinned brightly.

“Your facial expression was kinda weird.”

“That’s my normal face. Anyway, congratulations!” Poe smiled.

“Thanks, man.”

“And good luck with your new job.” The man turned back to other patron adding something very confusing, "you’ll need it.”


	11. Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awkward father-son bonding and unsolicited sex advice? That's the Solo family for you.

“Are you eating well?” Leia asked with concern. Ben tried to suppress a wince but then he remembered that she couldn’t see him through the phone.  
“Yes, mom,” he replied dutifully.  
“And sleeping enough?”  
“Yes.” He hoped he sounded convincing. The last thing Ben wanted was for his mom to come to college to check on him.  
“OK, hang on, here’s your father.” He almost chocked.  
“What? No, wait, I…”  
“Hi, son,” grumbled Han. _Too late._  
“Hi, Dad.” It wasn’t like Ben hated him or anything. They simply lacked points of connection and they both were _very_ aware of this fact. Han sighed heavily.  
“Listen, kid, your mom’s got this weird idea that we must talk, you know, father-son bonding, yadda-yadda, and I kinda can’t tell her no, so…”  
“I’ve got it.” Ben really, _really_ did.  
“Great,” said his father without enthusiasm.  
“So?”  
“So?” There was an awkward pause.  
“Um, talk,” ventured Ben. Han sighed.  
“Eh, um, how is school?”  
“Great. How is shop?”  
“Fine.” _A friendly chat between father and son? Nailed it._ “Do you…” He hesitated. “Are you OK?” Ben contemplated the answer.  
“Yeah.”   
“Any new friends?”  
“Some.”  
“Your grades?” His eyebrows shot up. Han has _never_ been interested in his academic success.   
“Fine.”  
“Girls?” Oh, another sore point.  
“Nope.” Ben particularly stressed ‘P’. Han sighed, disappointed.   
“Is there anything you want to talk about?” He thought for a minute.  
“Nay.” Then paused. There actually was one issue. “Wait. Ugh.” He groaned. It wasn’t the first time he complained about it. Probably won’t be the last. But his friends were already all fed up with his whines and Had did ask… “Actually there is this one person that practically drives me insane. I just…” Ben run a hand through his hear. “I just can’t.” His Dad snorted.  
“You need help kicking this kid’s ass?” He chuckled weakly.  
“I don’t think mom would appreciate me kicking a girl.”  
“A girl?” Han sounded disturbingly interested.  
“Yeah. She is just _everywhere_. Completely insufferable, arrogant little know-it-all who thinks that her sole business in life is to get the rise out of me. Can you imagine that?” The other man chuckled.  
“Actually yes, I can.” Ben paused.  
“Wait, seriously?”  
“Yep.”  
“And what did you do?” he couldn’t hide his curiosity.  
“Kid, I married her.” Ben practically chocked.  
“What?! Dad, I’m not going to marry Rey!”  
“Rey?” Han perked immediately. “As in Rey Plutt? That kid that helped me in the garage last summer?” His son groaned in exasperation.  
“The one and only.” His dad chuckled.  
“OK, Ben, you won’t be happy about this but listen to me.” _OK, that’s bad._ “Ask her out.”  
“Excuse me?! Have you even heard a word I said?” he exploded.  
“Son, I heard enough to know _exactly_ what’s going on. Been there, done that.” Well, this information Ben could live without, thank you very much. “The girl is a keeper and you’ll regret it if you don’t, trust me,” Han said in a tone parents reserve specifically for when their kids were being silly. Ben’s hackles raised.  
“I doubt that,” he said coldly. His father snorted.  
“Then tell me in all seriousness that you have never wondered what _exactly_ she hides under those hoodies, or stared at her lips, or thought how cute she looked when mad.” Surprisingly, Ben didn’t have a come-back for that. _How on earth?.._ He hadn’t tell a single soul how cute he thought Rey was when pissed. “Thought so.” Han’s smirk was palpable.  
“Oh, don’t be so smug,” snarked his son. “Even _if_ I do that, which I obviously  _won’t_ , the odds are it will go badly.”  
“Never tell me the odds,” huffed the other man.  
“I swear, this is the last time I’m asking you for help,” Ben promised him darkly.

_Three weeks later_

“And make sure you wear your scarf,” demanded Leia.  
“Yes, mom,” Ben answered dutifully.  
“And…”  
“Is Dad there?” he swiftly interrupted.  
“Oh?” his mom sounded pleasantly surprised. “Wait a second, honey.”  
“Hey, kid,” Han greeted him gruffly.  
“Hi, Dad. How are you?” Small talks still weren’t the Solo men’s forte.  
“Same old, same old. You?”  
“Is mom around?” Ben asked cautiously.  
“No, why?” frowned his dad.  
“Thank God. I need your help.”  
“Kid?” Han sounded genuinely surprised.  
“So I’ve asked Rey out and…” he started tentatively.  
“I’ve got it,” assured Han.  
“You do?”  
“Of course. Don’t worry, your old man can give you a couple of pointers.” Ben frowned.  
“Pointers?”  
“Listen, the main thing is that lady always comes first.” _Wait, what?_ “It’s a gentlemanly thing to do.”  
“What the fuck, Dad?” he asked, befuddled.   
“No need to be so rude,” chastised Han. “Only pricks think only about their pricks.” The statement didn’t make sense neither from logical, nor from grammatical point of view.  
“Dad!”  
“You have fingers and mouth for reasons, you know,” continued Han, nonplussed. “Never underestimate foreplay.”   
“Dad!”  
“If she can get on her knees for you, you can get for her too. It’s a basic courtesy.” Ben tugged his hair in frustration.  
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Dad!” he bellowed.  
“What? There is nothing wrong with making your girl come on your tongue,” Han replied testily.  
“For the last time, I’m perfectly able to make my girlfriend come, thank you very much!” Ben yelled loudly making his roommates poke his head into his room curiously. He gave them thumbs up and waved them off.  
“Oh.” His father somehow managed to sound both proud and confused. “Then what _did_ you want?”  
“I. Don’t. Know. How. To tell. Mom. That. Rey. Is. Coming. Home. With. Me. Next. Week.” He enunciated.   
“OK,” his father said slowly.  
“She will freak out.”  
“Your Mom? She sure will,” Han snorted. “Princess has always wanted a daughter, you know?” Ben sighed.  
“I do. So?”  
“Wait a minute, I’ll call Luke,” he announced suddenly.  
“What? Dad, no!”  
“Kid, it’s Leia we are talking about, we need all the help we can get. That's our only hope,” Han persisted to his son’s horror. “We need Luke. And Chewie.” Ben took his head in his hands.  
“Fuck my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I do see the Solos sex-positive and with no filter. Rey will fit there just right, don't you think?


	12. Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiss a stranger AU.

Rey squeezed her eyes shut.  
“No.”  
“Yes, Peanut,” insisted Finn. “You have been moping for a week. Enough. No guy is worth it.” She huffed.  
“The pot calling the kettle? Because _I_ vividly remember that one time…”  
“And that’s enough,” her friend interjected quickly as Poe perked his ears. “Either you make yourself presentable and go out with us or I unleash my boyfriend _and_ my girlfriend upon you. And Rose is particularly enthusiastic today. Your choice.” Rey sent him a death glare.  
“OK, you win.”

It wasn’t that bad to hang out with her friends. She loved them dearly. But seeing not two, but three people being disgustingly in love with each other when your own relationship failed… Yep, that stung. Rey was so careful about her heart and whom she was giving it to and yet there she was  once again, single and tipsy and pouring her soul out.  
“And he said that I’m boring!” she complained loudly. “It’s not true! I’m loads of fun.” Rose and Poe shared a look.  
“Sure, Peanut,” said Finn diplomatically.  
“He said that he is bored because I’m closed off! Because he ‘feels’,” Rey airquoted the word, “feels he is alone in this relationship. The ass!” Her friends hummed noncommittally.  
“He said that I don’t take any risks. I’m what, state treasury or something?!” she exclaimed indignantly. “I’ve survived Jakku. My whole _life_ is one big risk,” she muttered, the accusation still hurting. Her companions went awfully quiet. “What?” she snapped. They shared a look.  
“Honey, you do tend to play it safe,” tentatively said Rose. The guys nodded.  
“What does that even mean?” Rey asked in annoyance. Finn sighed.  
“You are just very reasonable.”  
“So?”  
“And reserved,” added Poe.  
“And a bit standoffish.”  
“I’m introverted,” Rey said defensively. “There is nothing wrong with that.”  
“Of course not,” hastened to reassure her Rose, “but you do not let people in easily.” The girl huffed.  
“So what? Just because I don’t fall head over heels on the spot I’m a bad girlfriend? It’s a smart precaution.”  
“We all are fools in love,” interjected Poe. Rey glared at him. He stared back.  
“What do you want me to do? Sleep with the first guy I see?” she snapped. Poe grinned.  
“No need to be so dramatic. Relax. Let your hair down. Both literally and figuratively,” he added looking pointedly at her three buns. “Sing out loud. Dance barefoot in the rain. Kiss a stranger. Live a little.” Both Rose and Finn stared at her sheepishly. Rey gave them a withering glare.  
“Fine! Fine. Watch me.” Very aware of her friends’ eyes on her she got abruptly from her seat and made a beeline straight to the bar where several patrons were enjoying their drinks. A tall dark-haired man caught her attention. Rey tapped his shoulder. “Excuse me?” He turned. She didn’t give him time to react grabbing his face in both hands and pressing her lips to his. And what lips they were! Soft, plush, plump, though unmoving under hers. For a second Rey wished he would react somehow but the man was frozen in shock. Well, it wasn’t his fault. With a sigh she let him go taking a look at her unfortunate victim. Blood left Rey’s face. Staring at her was one thoroughly kissed, wide-eyed, deeply stupefied Benjamin Solo, _her creative writing professor_. She prayed to all things holy that he couldn’t recognize her.  
“Miss Sands?” he croaked. Rey went beet-red. So much for it.  
“I’m sorry, Professor, I didn’t… That was a mistake.” With that what she turned around and fled to her table as quickly as possible. Her friends gaped at her.  
“What was _that_?” demanded Rose.  
“ _That_ was my creative writing professor,” Rey answered in utter mortification. Poe’s eyes rounded.  
“Damn, girl, you kissed your _professor_?”  
“I thought you took creative writing last term,” frowned Finn.  
“Yeah,” she replied shakily.  
“Just to clarify,” quipped Rose, “you kissed your _former_ professor?”  
“Yes, why?”  
“Because he is heading here,” the girl grinned. Rey's stomach dropped. Right on the queue someone cleared out his throat behind her.  
“Miss Sands? Um, Rey?” Professor Solo asked looking at her with those gorgeous intense eyes of his. She was still processing how he could remember her name half a year later. The man smiled at her bashfully. “Would you like to have a drink?” Rey glanced at her friends. Finn shrugged. Rose grinned. Poe gave her thumbs up. She looked at the attractive man she kissed less than five minutes ago. _Hmm, what a difficult choice._ Rey smiled.  
“Yes, I would like that very much.”


	13. Fix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Han Solo tries to be a good dad. No Solo man can have a proper wedding ever.

Han Solo has been called a lot of things: a scoundrel, a smuggler, the Kessel Run champion. A good dad, he was not. He likes to think it’s not just his fault. Growing up without a father he never had a good example and unfortunately children don’t come into this world with a detailed instruction on how not to fuck up. So of course he did. And so did Leia and Luke (he is still bitter at the kid for what he pulled). They lost their boy. Until somehow Ben came back.

They have Rey to thank for that. Han is still surprised that Princess didn’t make all of them kiss the ground the girl walked upon. They really, _really_ should. He remembers how Rey told him a while back how she was good at fixing things. She forgot to mention that she is good at fixing people too.

It’s better now. Not perfect, of course, but better than they had been for years. They try these new things like _open communication_ and talking about _feelings_ and other stuff Han is bad at, but hey, he tries, so it counts. Nevertheless, it’s still odd when Ben _calls_ _him_ , because they don’t actually do that. Which means that it’s something important. Or something bad. The good thing is that Han is a man of action, not overthinking, so he presses the button and hopes for the best.

“Dad?” Ben doesn’t sound frantic so Han marginally relaxes.

“Hey, kid.” A pause.

“Dad, I need your help.” When was the last time his son said that?

“I’m listening.” Another pause. Han can almost see Ben tugging his hair nervously.

“Remember when you used to, um, smuggle things?” his boy asks tentatively. Oh, he remembers all right. He still does it from time to time. What Leia doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt her. “Purely hypothetically, can you smuggle people?”

Han’s blood freezes in his veins. “Are we talking about trafficking or…”

“No, not trafficking,” rushes Ben. “Those people are willing to be smuggled.”

“To be smuggled to?”

“To be smuggled from.”

“From  where?” he prods gently. Ben sighs.

“From a venue.” _Oh._

“Oh,” says Han very intelligently. “And the people are?..”

“The bride and the groom.” Ben doesn’t elaborate further.

“I see.”

“Forget I said anything, it’s stupid,” his son says in frustration. Han begs to differ.

“Can I come over?” he asks instead. He’s promised himself to be there when his boy needs it. Now is one of those times.

“Please.”

 

Rey’s eyes are red and puffy. It’s very disturbing. She doesn’t cry. The girl has always met her problems with a smile and a knee to the balls. Seeing her like this is just another level of wrong.

Ben looks equally worried, terrified and confused. When he finally sees Han his eyes fill with hope. That’s something to get used to.

“So, who died?” he cracks a joke. No one smiles. Han kneels in front of Rey. His knees won’t thank him for that, but what is joints’ health against his kids’ happiness? “Sweetheart, what’s got your knickers in a twist?”

“Nothing, I’m just being silly,” the girl says mirthlessly. The father and the son share a look.

“She doesn’t want the wedding,” says Ben and Han’s eyes bulge. A blind man can see that Rey is just as gone for his boy as he is for her.

“You don’t want to get married?” he asks, puzzled. Rey sniffs.

“I _want_ to get married! I want to _be_ married. I don’t want a wedding with 200 guests and a dress with five-meter train and an heirloom Alderaanian diadem and a finger food from a Michelin restaurant and _I’m so fucking ungrateful!”_ Tears stream down her cheeks. Ben wraps his fiancée into a hug allowing her to sob into his chest. Han rubs his forehead.

“The Princess went above and beyond, I see.”

“I’m _so_ sorry,” hiccups Rey and both men simultaneously protest.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” The father and the son look at each other.

“You know what, kid? Don’t worry about that,” Han winks. “We’ll fix it.”

“How?”

“You’ll see.”

 

Rey fidgets at her seat, her hands compulsively straightening her Star Wars T-shirt. “Where are we going?”

Han smirks. “It’s a surprise.”

“I hate surprises,” she grumbles.

“I know. But there will be food,” he winks.

“I _love_ food.”

“That’s my girl.”

Rey stares in the window. “Wait, is that Varikyno?”

“You have been here before?” Han asks in surprise.

“Ben took me here for a…” Rey blushes heavily, “vacation.” Well, if the boy is anything like his old man, one hell of a vacation it was. “Are we going to a barbeque?”

“Something like that,” he winks. They park and Han leads her around the house to the backyard. Rey gasps. There in the garden are Leia and Luke, and Chewie, and Finn with the Tico sisters, and Poe, and that yappy dog of his, and Ben’s tall pretentious friends, and his son is standing under something resembling a flower arc with the softest, most reverent expression Han has ever seen on his face.

“What is this?” Rey whispers. Han smiles.

“Remember you said you didn’t want a big wedding?”

“But… but I’m not even dressed.”

“So? The kid over there wears flannels,” he smirks. Rey’s head snaps to Ben.

“That’s my favorite,” she says absently admiring the green plaid. Rose approaches them with a blinding grin and hands full of flowers. She plants a kiss on her friend’s cheek.

“Congratulations! We thought you wouldn’t want a veil so we made this instead.” She places a flower crown on Rey’s head and hands her a bouquet of sunflowers. “Hey, you are OK?”

The girl nods vigorously. Tears are streaming down her face but she also smiles brightly. “I love you all _so_ much!”

Rose gives the crowd thumbs up and Dameron turns on the music. Han offers Rey his hand.

“Come on, kid. Let’s get you married.”


	14. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A 5+1 drabble inspired by my lack of morning sleep.

_One_

“Five more minutes,” Ben mumble into the pillow. His mother scoffs.

“Your five minutes ended fifteen minutes ago. Get up, honey, you don’t want to be late on the first day of school.”

He very much disagrees. School is boring and his classmates are dumb, his bed, on the contrary, is so soft and fluffy.

“If you are down in ten, Dad will give you a ride,” turns to bribing Leia.

“Dad is home?” he asks hopefully. And just like that sleep is forgotten.

“Yes, honey.” There is a smile in Leia’s voice. “Now hurry up.”

 

_Two_

 

“Five minutes,” Ben groans hiding his head under the pillow.

“Don’t count on it, young man,” sternly informs him his uncle. “Sunrise meditation is an essential part of our schedule and, as long as you are under my roof, you are going to follow my rules.”

“I didn’t ask to be here,” Ben groans mentally cursing Luke, his parents, therapists and the whole concept of family bonding.

“I didn’t ask for you to be here either,” his uncle retorts, “but my sister thinks otherwise. So do us both a favor and get your ass outside if you don’t want me to haul you.”

Ben groans again. Those were not empty threads. “Fine, old man.”

“I heard that!” Luke warns.

“Oh, I know.”

 

_Three_

 

“Five more minutes,” Ben whines pitifully. That party was a mistake. That beer was even worse mistake.

“You have been giving me this shit for twenty minutes. Get. The fuck. Up.” Hux has never sounded more annoying.

“No.” It was supposed to be an ultimatum. It comes out like a whimper.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, you don’t want to be late to Professor Insidious.”

Ben groans. “Please, don’t tell me that…”

“Yes, the first class is with Palpatine. So suck it up, buttercup,” his roommate taunts. “If you get up now, I’ll get you a coffee.”

“I love you,” Ben immediately confesses. Hux snorts.

“You love your caffeine fix. Now get up!”

 

_Four_

 

“Five more minutes,” Ben moans as a shrill thrill of his phone pierces his ears. The universe is deaf to his pleadings as the noise goes on and on. He grabs the offending object and presses the button.

“Ren, where are you?” Snoke barks instead of greeting. Ben glances at the clock. Five A.M. _Fuck_!

“Sir?” he barely suppresses a yawn.

“Have you seen the Crait report?” his boss presses. “The figures are outrageous! I will not tolerate this!”

“Yes, Sir, I understand, Sir.” He hopes he sounds more functional than he is.

“I expect you in the office ASAP. Deal with it,” Snoke orders before the connection drops. Ben slams the phone into the pillow and finally yawns. _Fuck_!

 

_Five_  

 

"Just five more minutes," Ben murmurs sleepily as an armful of the most delicious woman in existence squirms in his grasp.

"Rise and shine, baby," she whispers pressing world's pertest ass into him.

"Hmm? 'm asleep," he responds half-consciously.

"Yes?" Rey taunts. "And here I thought that _someone_ is awake." She presses her backside into him again to prove the point.

" _I'm_ asleep," he grumbles before flipping on his back and covering his eyes with his forearm.

"Ben Solo sleeps, but Kylo Ren is vigilant," teases him the vixen while straddling his legs. "Let's see if I can wake both." Her nimble fingers travel over his chest, down and down, and he can't help but open his eyes. Rey reached his pants, gently teases the bare skin under the waistband and... starts mercilessly tickle him. She giggles as Ben yelps and howls before fighting back. Rey may be fast, but he is bigger and stronger and in no time she is trapped under his frame, his hand easily holding both of her wrists. He has her at his mercy, but the minx doesn't protest. On the contrary, Rey looks like a cat that got the cream. Her legs wrap around his waist, she licks her lips and Ben just can't not kiss her, sleep be damned. Does it even matter if he can have _her_?

 

_One_

 

"Five more minutes." 

Ben huffs. "Sweetheart, your five minutes ended fifteen minutes ago."

Lucy only buries her auburn head further into the pillow. Hannah hides completely under the cover, totally ignoring him. Ben wonders whether his mother had this much trouble. If yes, he owns her a fruit basket. Or ten. He huffs again and leaves the twins to check on his elder daughter. Annie is dead to the world, despite two alarms working simultaneously. This is a disaster. It's only September and Ben already wants to tear his hair out. Maybe boarding school wasn't such a bad idea.

"Babe, you OK?" Rey calls softly. He groans.

"They all refuse to wake up."

"Clearly they're your daughter," his wife replies with an eyeroll. Ben scoffs. All three girls have his luscious hair in various shades of brown, all of them inherited his constellations of moles. Lucy has his eyes, while Annie, poor thing, his ears. All three got his signature scowl. The question of their parentage is decidedly _not_ a question. God bless their mother for her majestic genes that made his kids so cute.

"Well, maybe you should try," he offers grumpily. Rey shrugs.

"Sure. Girls," she call loudly, "if you get up now, Daddy will make pancakes." There is a sound of moving sheets.

"With chocolate chips?" asks Hannah sleepily.

"Yes, Sweetheart," Rey croons. Ben gapes at her outrageous bribing technique.

"I want syrup," mumbles Annie.

"Sure, baby. And if you are down in fifteen, I'll even add ice cream." There is a padding of bare feets as girls dart for bathroom. Ben shakes his head.

"Clearly they're _your_ daughters."

"What can I say, I'm good at negotiating," Rey smirks. He stares at her lips. They have been together for thirteen years and he still haven't gotten his fill of her. A _hundred_ won't be enough. His wife notices him staring and lifts her face up to catch his lips in a familiar gesture they enjoy so much. They almost touch. Almost.

"Mom," wails Lucy startling them both, "Annie won't let me use the bath!" 

"I've just got in. Five minutes!"


	15. Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baker Rey meets groom Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mention of child abuse. Skip the first paragraph to avoid it.

When Rey was five, a cake spoke to her. Technically, it didn't speak, per se, she just felt a deep profound connection with an obnoxious three-tier frosting-covered beauty. Five-year old Rey froze with her palms and nose pressed to the cool glass. Her guardian Unkar Plutt didn't appreciate distractions. When she didn’t reply to his call, he smacked her upside her head, grabbed her roughly and tugged her away, all the while berating 'lazy ungrateful girl'. His grip left bruises, which Rey's school teacher reported which resulted in transferring her to a new home. Her foster mother Maz turned out to be a wonderful person who offered her a safe place, a family and a future. Coincidentally, she also owned Castle Bakery and was the author of that very cake. Rey hadn't looked back ever since.

Maz taught her everything she knew and after the woman decided to step down, Rey took over her business, keeping the bakery alive and buzzing. Like every self-respecting baker, Rey had her superpower - wedding cakes. She was so good people fought to get into her waiting list. So good she could predict couple's future just from the cake they ordered.

Like this time. The bride knew exactly what she wanted. The groom, though… He looked like he wante to be as far away from her shop as possible.

“…I want lemon and lavender cupcakes, real lavender, mind you. Ecru icing. Then chocolate and bourbon. Your boss likes bourbon, right?” the bride asked her fiancé. The woman was gorgeous, all pale skin, high cheekbones and slick black hair. Considering how slim she was, she probably wouldn’t even take a bite of those cupcakes, real lavender or not. The groom, equally gorgeous built man with magnificent dark hair, constellations of moles and soulful brown eyes, sighed.

“I don’t see what…”

“Bourbon it is. Dark brown icing. It would look elegant and mature. You  _do_  want our wedding to look elegant?” the woman asked the groom pointedly.

“Yes, Bazine. I don’t want to make it stuffy,” he carded a hand through his luscious hair. Rey couldn’t help but follow his motion with her eyes.

“Nonsense. With your line of work and your family connections you should to be used to it,” the bride scoffed. “Now, where were we?”

“The cake,” Rey supplied helpfully. She  _loved_  this part. The couple had to try her best samples to figure out what they wanted. This moment was pivotal. The groom’s hand moved immediately toward her favorite, strawberry and chocolate. He took a bite and his eyes shut in sheer pleasure. The bride reluctantly jabbed her piece with fork and frowned. “I would rather have something more… royal. I think lemon and elderflower.”

The groom snorted. “Seriously?”

Rey nodded. “I can work with that.”

“I don’t need you to  _work_  with that, I need absolute perfection. They say you are the best.  _Are you, though_?”

“Bazine!”

“What? That’s your wedding, too. I want three tiers, ecru icing and none of those ridiculous decorations. Real flowers only. Orchids. And don’t you dare switch them for roses. If you can’t…” the bride’s phone started ringing. “Hang on, I have to take this.”

The groom smiled apologetically. “Sorry for that.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve seen worse.”

The bride returned, frowning. “I have to go to work right now. Ben, can you handle this alone?”

“Whatever you want, sweetheart.”

“I told you not to call me that, it’s old-fashioned,” the bride chastised him before dropping a kiss to his cheek. “See you later.”

Rey smiled encouragingly. “So, lemon and lavender cupcakes, real lavender, ecru icing, chocolate and bourbon cupcakes, dark brown icing and three-tier lemon and elderflower sponge cake, ecru icing, orchids, correct?”

“No.”

Rey blinked. “No?”

“Yes to cupcakes, yes to icing, no to the elderflower crap,” said the groom with an evil glint to his eyes. “ _I_  want strawberry and chocolate. Like my fiancée said, it’s  _my wedding, too._ ”

Rey grinned. “This I can work with.”

Unlike usually, nothing went smoothly this time. Rey was surprised with Miss Netal’s lack of response. The woman hadn’t even caught onto the cake situation. All the messages Rey sent were left unanswered.  On the day X, failing to reach the bride, she finally called groom’s home. Rey waited. And waited. She was ready to end the call when a gruff male voice. “Hello.”

“Good morning! This is Rey from Castle Bakery...”

The man grunted. “Hold on, kid.” There was shuffling, then someone picked the phone.

“Hello,” said the familiar voice.

“Mr. Solo, this is Rey from Castle Bakery regarding your order delivery…”

“You didn’t get the memo, right?” the man sighed heavily.

“Something changed?”

“That’s one way to put it. No need to deliver anything.” A pause. “Actually, I’ll come.” Thirty minutes later Ben Solo walked into her shop, looking deadly tired. “Sorry for the inconvenience,” he mumbled. “The wedding is off.”

“What’s happened?”

“I caught my fiancée cheating on me with my boss,” he smiled sadly. “So I quit. Now I have to deal with the whole mess and with why it bothers me more than our break up. If I cared so little, why did I allow it get this far?”

Rey considered her next words carefully. “You know what’s the best cure for a broken heart? A good piece of cake. And you have one all to yourself.”

“That I do,” Ben snorted.

“I’ll bring you a plate.”

“Bring two. I could use a company.”  

One year later Rey walked barefoot down the aisle in the backyard of the Solos’ family house. She had eyes only for her gorgeous future husband who looked at her like she was the moon. Ben’s uncle Luke tied their hands with a ribbon as they promised each other forever and finally were married. The party skipped all stuffy parts and moved right to the cake-cutting. Taking her first bite from the slice Ben held for her, Rey beamed. Strawberry and chocolate. Best. Decision. Ever.


	16. Gifted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accidental proposal AU. Because I need more Ben being an idiot around Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First post of 2020. It didn't go the way I planned, but oh well...
> 
> It's Christmas Eve in my country, so Merry Christmas to my Orthodox readers!

Perfect, just perfect. Ben was so proud of his Christmas gift for Rey, his roommate, best friend and the girl he had been mooning over three years, five month and eighteen days. Those years were equally torture and blessing, but Ben would gladly spend the rest of his life like that just to be close to her.

He remembered that first year when he had come home to see Rey in tears thinking about yet another Christmas alone. Ben asked her to celebrate with his family and they hadn’t looked back ever since.

This would be his fourth Christmas gift for her. He noticed her eyeing a delicate silver pendant with binary stars in a shop window and knew it was perfect for an Astronomy student. With a satisfied smile Ben dropped a blue velvet box into his drawer. It only had to wait till morning.

His mom caught him on his way downstairs. “Honey, please come here for a second?”

“Is it about my new Star Wars themed cookie cutters? Because…”

Leia shook her head with a smile. “Ah, no, I want to give you something.” Only then he noticed a square jewelry box in her hand. Frowning, Ben opened it and gasped.

“Mom, it’s grandma Breha’s ring.”

Leia nodded. “I want you to have it.”

“But Mom, you were supposed to…”

“Give it to my daughter? I only have a son. Maybe one day I’ll have a daughter-in-law, too,” she sighed wistfully.

Ben looked away. “Mom, you know I…”

“Helplessly in love with Rey?” she supplied. He gaped at her.

“How did you?.. _That_ obvious?” _Pathetic, simply pathetic._

“Yes.” Leia never liked beating around the bush.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ben shook his head. “She doesn’t see me that way.”

His mom gave him an odd look. “Have you tried, you know, _talking_ to her?”

Ben scoffed. “What’s the point? To ruin our friendship?”

“You might be surprised,” came her cryptic reply.

“Don’t get your hopes high.”

“Please think about that.” Leia gently squeezed his hand. “I want to see you happy. Both of you. I care for Rey, too.”

The confession broke his heart. Some things were just never meant to be. “I’ll think about it,” he promised.

 

  
Christmas morning was Ben’s favorite. To see an innocent excitement on the face of the woman he loved was a gift itself.

“And this one is for Rey,” Ben proclaimed, handing her a small neatly wrapped package. It took him a lot not to break into the widest grin.

“Who’s it from?” she asked curiously. Stars, how could anyone look this good in plaid PJs and fuzzy socks?

“I think that’s obvious,” Leia quipped from the couch, where she was sitting comfortably between her husband and brother. Ben scowled. Yes, his OCD might be showing in exceptionally neat wrapping, but was it a bad thing? Rey gave him a sweet smile and his scowl immediately morphed into a love-struck expression. Pathetic.

She carefully removed red paper, revealing a blue velvet box. Rey frowned. Leia, Luke and Han tensed. Ben’s heart stopped in anticipation. Biting her lip, his dear girl opened the box and froze.

“Is that?..”

“Yes?” he said unsurely, unable to decipher her expression.

Rey’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes?..” This was not the reaction he was expecting. Did he make a mistake after all?

“Are you _proposing_ me?!” Rey gasped. _Wait, what?_ Ben’s brain short-circuited. “Because I know whose ring it is and…” She looked at him with the mix of expectation and frustration, her hands holding a velvet box with _Breha’s ring_ instead of binary stars pendant.

“Ben, what the hell?” Leia demanded, as shocked as anyone else.

How? How could this happen? He remembered putting the necklace in the drawer, talking with his mom, putting the ring in the same drawer… And wrapping the wrong blue box. And now the love of his life thought he asked her to marry him. Ben wanted to laugh. Cry, too. So much for protecting their friendship.

Rey was looking at him with those wide indecipherable eyes, his family was staring at them with mouths agape and he knew he had exactly two ways out. He could tell the truth or he could tell… the other truth. Ben really, truly wanted to do the right thing, but there was something so close to hope in Rey’s eyes, that he couldn’t do it anymore. Not to her and not to himself.

“Yes. Yes, I’m proposing you,” Ben blurted. The room went deadly silent.

“Are you _insane_?” Rey asked carefully. Oh, so it was a wrong choice after all.

“Yes, I am,” he answered truthfully. Maybe it’s the last time they were talking, but he had to get it off his chest. “I am insanely, madly in love with you,” Ben’s heart skipped a beat as Rey’s eyes widened in pure shock, “have been since forever and I know I’m a moron to dump it on you like that and I know it’s super-fast, and yes, I should have told you something earlier and maybe ask you what you think about all of it, but I’m a freaking coward, and I know that you probably don’t share my feelings and I’m ruining years of friendship and putting you in a ridiculous position, but you are my first and my last thought and the best part of my day, and no matter what you will always have me in any capacity you want.” There it was. All out.

Rey went terribly still. “Is that all?”

“Yes.” And that’s how he would lose her.

“Great.” _Great?! That’s all she had to say?_ “Yes, Ben.”

He blinked, unable to process her words. “Yes what?”

“Yes, you are a moron and a coward,” Rey stated plainly. “Yes, you are putting me in a ridiculous position, and your family, too,” she nodded toward frozen Leia, Luke and Han. “Yes, you should have thought this through. Yes, you should have told me something earlier. Yes, it’s too fast. Yes, it’s lunacy. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“What?” Ben squeaked.

“I’ll marry you, you idiot,” she sighed exasperatedly.

Clearly, his brain suffered some sort of damage because he had zero idea what’s going on. “Why?”

Rey looked at him, puzzled. “Because you asked?”

“I mean why would you agree? If that’s because of my parent…” he trailed off, making her roll her eyes.

“No, Ben, I love you, too.”

Of all the things he expected to hear this was the least probable.

“ _What?_ ”

Rey sighed loudly. “Ben Solo, I have been in love with you for three years, five month and seventeen days.”

“Eighteen,” he corrected her automatically.

“For you,” she scoffed. “I didn’t get a proper look at you that first day, because you hid in your room.”

“I was embarrassed!” Ben cried out, offended. “You were too cute.”

“Well, so were you,” Rey glared at him exasperatedly.

“Really?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “And answering your question, I’ve wasted so much time I’ll take you in any capacity I can.”

“But we haven’t even dated,” he protested contra-productively, earning a glare from his fiancée and groans from his family.

“Then how would you call all the time we spent together?” Rey demanded. “The only difference is that we haven’t kissed or anything.”

Oh. He hadn’t thought about that. “Can we?” Ben asked hopefully.

“Yes,” his fiancée rolled her eyes again before grabbing a fistful of his PJs and tugging him in. Oh, so that was what he was missing all this time? If Ben could have thought straight, he would have kicked his own ass for all the years they could have been doing this, but Rey’s soft lips were way too distracting. Self-kicking would have to wait.

“Tone it down, kids,” Luke commented wryly as Ben’s paws found soft skin of his new fiancée’s belly. This made the two of them break, Rey flushing prettily. The Organa-Solo-Skywalker eyed them with various level of smugness.

“My baby boy, I’m so happy,” Leia wiped her eyes.

“Mom,” Ben groaned, earning himself an elbow from Rey.

Han chuckled. “I think it’s as good time as any to say that Lando is bringing his niece,” he quipped. Ben and the rest of the family stared at him confusedly. “What? We have only so many bedrooms,” the older man snorted, “but I think you two wouldn’t mind a good old bed sharing now, huh?” 


	17. Sugar Plum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ballet dancer Rey meets single daddy Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This thing has been sitting in my documents for way too long. I'm not quite satisfied with it and my beta fulcrum_of_pemberley suggested to expand it, but the inspiration simply doesn't strike. And since I'm too exhausted after my weekends to edit the next chapter of A Family Recipe I'll post this instead.

Rey held her breath. Never in her life had she seen something like this. The dancer on the stage in her beautifully sparkling dress was creating pure magic. Once, in a movie, Rey had seen a girl open up a music box with a spinning ballerina inside, but this – this was so much better. Everything was fascinating, but the moment the Sugar Plum Fairy appeared, she was completely enchanted.

“You like it?” Miss Erso whispered.

Rey nodded. Miss Erso had always been so nice to her, and she had been the only one from the agency who had volunteered to take a little girl to see The Nutcracker, since her guardian Plutt vehemently refused to waste his time or money on her.

“The dancer’s name is Leia Organa; she’s a famous ballerina. We’re lucky to get to see her, the Sugar Plum Fairy is one of her favourite roles.”

That made sense, Rey thought. You would have to love dancing with your whole heart to dance like _that_.

“I wish I could dance like her,” she whispered.

Miss Erso hummed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

 

Rey checked herself in the mirror one final time, making sure she looked flawless. After so many years of hard work, she had been granted a place in the Royal Naboo Theatre Troupe, and by Leia Organa herself, no less. Rey still couldn’t believe that her biggest hero had personally invited her. Even more so, her first role there was as the Sugar Plum Fairy! If that wasn’t providence, then what was it? Taking a deep breath to calm her nervous excitement, the young woman straightened her shoulders and prepared for her grand entrance. Then the magic begun.

 

Smiling pleasantly to the various guests and patrons she passed, Rey carefully navigated Leia’s reception after the ballet. Upon the close of her dancing career, the woman had focused on the administrative functions of the troupe, eventually making it onto the Board. Leia excelled in everything she did; that’s why Rey felt exceptionally grateful that the woman had become an unofficial mentor to her, along with her brother Luke Skywalker. Alas, receptions were not Rey’s forte and she felt a bit lost on her own. She was wandering around, carefully nursing her single glass of champagne when she heard an excited gasp behind her. A little dark-haired girl in a lilac dress stared at her as if Christmas had come early.

“You’re the fairy!” she squealed in delight.

Rey smiled at her.

“I am. What’s your name, dear?”

“Stella! I’m so glad to meet you!” the girl beamed. She was so cute with her sparkly brown eyes and dimples, perfect black ringlets framing her heart-shaped face.

“What a pretty name. Do you know that it means ‘Star’?”

“Yes, Miss Sugar Plum Fairy,” Stella beamed. “That’s what my Daddy calls me.”

“How lovely. Call me Rey, please,” she smiled. The child was so sweet. “Tell me, Little Star, where are your parents?”

The girl frowned. “My Daddy was somewhere over there but I don’t…”

“Stella, where were you?” a deep voice suddenly interjected.

Rey lifted her head to see the most gorgeous pair of dark eyes.

“Excuse her, she’s a bit overexcited,” the man smiled sheepishly, putting his hand on the girl's shoulder. The familial resemblance was undeniable, from perfect raven waves to shy smiles.

“Don't worry about that. Your daughter is adorable,” Rey responded sincerely.

“Grandma said she'd let me meet Miss Sugar Plum, um, Miss Rey, but she was busy,” Stella pouted.

Her father sighed.

“My mom and her commitments. I'm really sorry about that, Stella is an aspiring ballerina herself and meeting you means the world to her, Miss Niima.” He looked at his daughter with so much pride and adoration it could melt the coldest heart.

“Rey, just Rey,”  she breathed out. Happy families were her kryptonite. 

“In that case, call me Ben,” he offered. 

“Ben,” Rey tried his name. What a pity that this gorgeous man was already taken. “I'm sure that Stella will make a magnificent dancer one day. You and your wife must be incredibly proud.”

“I don’t-”

“Daddy’s not-”

 “There you are!” sing-songed a happy voice. “I was going to introduce you to each other but it looks like you managed it just fine on your own.”

Rey looked at her mentor, puzzled. “Leia?”

“Mom?”

_Wait, what?_

“Grandma, you promised I could meet Miss Sugar, um, Miss Rey, so I did!” Stella told her excitedly.

“Aren’t you the apple of my eye, dear?” the older woman smiled. “Rey, my son, Benjamin. Ben, my most diligent pupil, Rey.” She looked between them fondly. “Now that the introductions are out of the way, can I invite you to our Sunday dinner, Rey? I’m sure Ben would give you a lift.”

The younger woman gaped at her mentor, then at Ben. “I, um, is that OK with you?”

Ben glanced at his mother suspiciously, then back at Rey. “Of course. If _you_ don’t mind.”

“Please, Miss Rey, please,” Stella begged.

 “Your mommy won’t mind?” she frowned.

“I don’t have a mommy.”

“She’s out of the picture,” Ben sighed, making Rey’s heart squeeze. “It’s just us now.”

“And Grandma, and Pops, and Chewie, and Great-Uncle Luke, and Uncle Poe, and.…”

“That’s enough, Sweetheart, she gets it,” Ben interrupted his daughter gently. “So what do you say?”

Rey might be able to handle one pair of puppy dog eyes, but not two at once. “OK.”

“Excellent,” Leia exclaimed. “And I’m sure Ben will be willing to show you the Christmas market on your way back. Now, Stella, dear, why don’t we go and check out that cake?”

“Cake? Let’s go!” The girl excitedly grabbed her grandmother’s hand and tugged her away.

“Sorry about that,” Ben offered sheepishly when his mother and daughter were out of earshot. “Mom can be a bit… meddly.”

“She cares about you,” Rey smiled fondly.

“You, too. Still, if you don’t feel comfortable with the whole dinner thing.…”

“I do,” she interjected hastily.

“You do?” Ben looked at her with an indecipherable expression. “Ah, you do.  And the Christmas market?”

“I’m still new here, so I wouldn’t mind you showing me around.” She flushed a little, suddenly feeling shy under the warmth of his gaze.

“Is that so?” Ben asked, his voice sounding lower. “Maybe you should give me your number to settle the details?”

“Sure. It’s a date,” Rey answered, belatedly realizing the double meaning of her words. But then Ben gave her the most beautiful smile she had ever seen and her worries flew out the window.

“A date it is,” he confirmed.

It seemed that this was going to be a very, very good year. 


	18. Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe is an idiot but it works out anyway. A meet-cute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate Mondays, the weather is disgusting, my boss is sick and I can't get my order from the post office because it's from freaking China. So, have some fluffy fluff because I'm a grump.

How someone as warmth-loving as her could’ve been born in winter Rey had no idea. All her life she had been craving a sun-lit birthday and instead she had to make do with miserable mix of snow and rain. Then again, Rey had never been big on birthdays. The mere concept of receiving gifts made her shudder. She came from the world where nothing was ever free and the idea that someone would give her gifts just because she had been born that day was almost incomprehensible. Her friends, though, simply didn’t take no for answer so Rey had cheated a little.

“You can give me something to keep me warm, and not too expensive, mind you,” she announced and that was it.

Everyone interpreted her words differently. Finn gave her a hat and mittens, his girlfriend Rose knitted her a matching scarf to go with it. Paige gifted her cute earmuffs while Phasma and Jessica, always the rebels, brought cocktails with them.

“This would warm you up all right,” the girls laughed.

Poe was Poe about it. He waltzed in empty-handed, with two tall men in tow, one ginger, another dark-haired.

“Happy birthday, Peanut,” he exclaimed loudly, kissing her on both cheeks.

The men behind him smiled awkwardly. “Sorry, he didn’t tell us it was your birthday, just that it’s a friend’s party.”

Poe grinned. “Rey, this is Hux, my boyfriend, and this is Ben, your birthday gift.”

She gaped at him. “My what?”

“What the fuck, man?” Ben demanded.

Poe didn’t bat an eye. “Look, he’s cute, free, I mean, single, and he’s hot, I mean, he tends to run hot. I bet he’ll keep you warm all night if you ask nicely. No need to thank me,” he added conspiratorially with a smug smirk.

Rey prayed the ground to swallow her. Ben turned tomato-red. Hux winced in exasperation, then smacked his boyfriend upside down his head. “A word, hot-shot,” he growled, togging the other man into the nearest empty room.

Rey and Ben looked at each other awkwardly.

“I’m sorry that my friend is such a moron,” he mumbled, rubbing his neck uncomfortably.

“Well, he’s my friend, too, and technically it’s my birthday so it’s me who should apologize,” she smiled bashfully. Ben offered her his hand with adorably crooked smile.

“Let’s start over. I’m Ben.”

She took it, gasping at how warm it was. “Rey. Nice to meet you.”

Turned out Poe didn’t lie about Ben running hot. The second the girls let in some fresh air and she started shivering he shrugged off his jacked and draped it over her shoulders. Rey decided she liked being wrapped into the warm oversized deliciously smelling garment, although it couldn’t compare to being tucked into Ben’s side. He made the most wonderful personal heater.

Eventually Rey found out other things she liked about him, like that he owned the world’s softest collection of cashmere sweaters. Or the fact that Ben was a cuddler. Or that he didn’t mind when she stole his clothes or hogged the covers. Or how he always made sure to turn up heat when she was coming over. Rey was pretty sure it was a ploy to make her stay forever, but then again, it’s not like she minded.

It was no surprise that eventually she found herself wrapping her new husband’s jacked around her bare shoulders while Ben fussed around, making sure the spring air wasn’t too chill.

“…I called it first,” Poe continued his wedding speech. “Technically, I set those two up, and they never even thanked me.”

“You told as not to,” Ben snarked, so Rey kissed his jaw to pacify him.

“And then you go and make Armie your Best Man! I’m wounded. I mean I love you, babe, but…”

“I’m sure you do,” Hux rolled his eyes.

Rey didn’t pay attention to what happened next because Ben brought her fingers to his lips to cover them with kisses.

“Sweetheart, your hands are cold. Are you sure you’re not freezing?” he whispered, his eyes full with absolute love and adoration.

Rey’s heart swelled as it always did when her now-husband looked at her like that. “No, I have you to keep me warm.”


	19. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> World's most awkward 'meet parents' with healthy dose of miscommunication.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to fulcrum_of_pemberley for being a wonderful beta and a huge help at decision-making process!

Rey twirled in front of the mirror. The black-and-red lace lingerie did magic, showcasing her assets in the most flattering way and making her skin glow gold. Black strappy heels that made her legs even longer didn’t hurt either. She looked good enough to eat which, quite frankly, was the aim. Ben was so going to lose his shit. 

“Do I look nice?” Rey asked Kylo. 

“Mrrreow,” the cat responded, batting her leg for attention. 

She scratched his ear absentmindedly. 

“I‘ll take that as a yes. Hopefully your daddy will like it, too.” 

Kylo purred, which was as much of an answer as she was going to get. Rey fixed a stray curl, admiring herself once again. She still wasn’t used to planning surprises like this. Her relationship with Ben had moved from friends to friends-with-benefits territory pretty recently. It felt natural: both were single, not interested in dating, close, and trusted each other completely. They had just the right amount of strings attached, too. It was that comfortable level of relationship that allowed Rey to spend plenty of time at Ben’s, steal his sweaters, and have a key to his apartment. Well, perhaps it was not that common for friends-with-benefits, but someone had to feed Kylo when his owner was away and Ben never asked for his key back and anyway, it’s not like he minded. 

At last she heard the key turning in the lock and promptly struck an alluring pose. 

The door opened. 

What happened next was far more than Rey could have expected. 

Ben’s keys slipped from his hand. His eyes bulged.  His jaw dropped. So did the jaws of the middle-aged couple behind him. The woman gasped. The man whistled. Ben cursed. 

“Fuck!” 

“Surprise!” Rey squeaked. 

 

Ten minutes later she bashfully walked back out of Ben’s bedroom, wearing a high-neck sweater, jeans, and fuzzy socks to dispel that first impression as much as possible. The couple eyed her with interest. Ben was still blushing, which would be quite endearing if she wasn’t so mortified. 

“Hello,” she smiled bravely. “Sorry for that.” 

Ben coughed a bit. “Rey, meet my parents, Leia and Han Solo. Mom, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Rey.” _Wait, what?_  

All three of them looked at him questioningly. 

“We didn’t know you two were dating,” Leia admitted. “But it makes sense.” 

It actually did. How else was Ben going to explain their _thing_ to his parents? 

“It’s a pretty recent development,” Rey supplied. _Like, ten minutes recent._  

“Anyway, it’s good to put a face to the name. The kid wouldn’t stop talking about you,” Han smirked. 

“Oh? I didn’t know.” Rey glanced at a still blushing Ben. 

He smiled back shyly.  “Sorry.” 

“That’s all right.” It felt nice to know she was special enough to be mentioned to his family. Rey went as far as to put a hand on his knee to prove the point. The gesture always helped Ben to calm down. He rubbed her knuckles gratefully. She lifted her head and found that Leia and Han were both observing them with matching shit-eating grins. 

“So, Rey, tell us about yourself?” 

 

A few hours later, after Ben’s parents left, they were clearing the table like usual. He washed the dishes and Rey dried, deep in thought. During the dinner they had pretended to be dating, which was not difficult since apparently they behaved like that all the time, which made her wonder what exactly it was between the two of them. Ben had always been the one to get attached, but they had agreed to keep things casual, hadn’t they?  Then why was he treating her like his girlfriend? And why was _she_ enjoying it? 

“Ben?” Rey asked. 

“Mmm?” 

“You told your parents about me?” 

He shrugged. “Well, you’re the best part of my day, so…” 

She bit her lip pensively. “And you told them we’re dating.” 

“We kinda are,” Ben responded. 

Rey blinked. “No, we’re not. We’re friends-with-benefits.” 

He turned to her, puzzled. “Is there a difference?” 

“Yes!” 

“I thought it’s like dating for those who don’t like going out,” he mused. “Oh.” Now his expression was somewhat wounded. 

_Oh indeed_ , she thought. How had she even missed it earlier? He’d always been the perfect boyfriend to her. And she _liked_ it. 

“Ben?” she asked again. 

“Yes?” 

“Do you want to date?” Rey noticed his deep frown. “Date me? It’s not a trick question,” she added hastily. 

“And what if I do?” he glanced at her carefully. 

Rey bit her lip again. “You can if you want.” 

“Take you out?” 

“That too.” 

“Huh.” Ben pondered. “So we’re dating. And _now_ you’re my girlfriend?” 

“Yep,” Rey nodded, barely holding back a smile at his confused puppy dog look. 

“Good to know.” He washed a plate pensively. “These things kids do nowadays are confusing as hell. So now I can date you and take you to my parents and stuff, right?” 

It made her grin. “I guess so.” Ben was adorable when confused. He was even more so when flustered. And Rey _loved_ flustering him. “Hey, boyfriend,” she glanced at him coyly, “did you know I’m still wearing that lingerie under my clothes?” 

The plate slipped out of his hand. “ _What?!_ ”


	20. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meddly Mama Leia only wants her son to find his love and give her pretty grandkids to spoil. That's not too much to ask, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all doing well in the time of quarantine. I personally work from home and it's not as fun as one might think. At this point we all deserve some comic relief, so Meddly Mama Leia to the rescue.
> 
> A shout-out to my amazing beta fulcrum_of_pemberley who reassured me that no, Leia wasn't too obnoxious.

“Han, look!” Leia could barely contain her excitement. 

“Easy, Princess,” the nerfherder smirked. As if his son did social interactions at the parties _daily._

“Just look! Ben is talking to a girl! And he's smiling!”

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a doting mother in possession of an adult son must be in want of grandkids. And Leia Organa was _long overdue_. Ben, her sweet, gentle, handsome son, had been single for so long she had started to worry. Her poor boy with his family name and lucrative job had a tendency to attract wicked gold-diggers and those evil harpies had turned him off dating altogether. It didn't help that Ben, though being the child of probably the two most outspoken people in the whole country, had ended up taking after his old bachelor uncle in terms of social graces. And Leia would be damned if she let the child with whom she had spent twenty straight hours in labor turn into a bearded hermit.

“Leave the kid alone,” her moofmilker of a husband admonished her gently.

Leia chose to ignore him.

“She's pretty,” the woman observed.

Ben’s companion was delicate and lean, with brown locks and golden skin. The girl was tall enough to look nice with him and short enough to be comfortably tucked under his chin which, in Leia’s experience, was mandatory for successful relationships. So far, it looked promising.

“We must introduce ourselves,” the woman announced, making a move but finding her husband’s arm firmly keeping her in place.

“I don't think that's a good idea,” Han murmured in her ear.

She scoffed. “Don't be ridiculous.” 

Ben needed someone to make sure everything was going smoothly.

“Princess, the kid’s got it,” Han insisted, steering her closer to the dance floor. “And _you_ can ask me for this dance.”

“I don't think that's how it works,” Leia muttered half-heartedly.

But it’s not every day she got to slow dance with the scoundrel she was married to.

 

Thirty minutes later Ben and his pretty companion were nowhere to be found. Leia started to panic. “Where are they?”

Her husband shrugged.

“Han, this is all _your_ fault. We die without grandkids because of _you_.”

The moofmilker just rolled his eyes. “Leia, think reasonably. A couple that _fancies_ each other, disappears before midnight...” Han made a dramatic pause.

She looked at him blankly.

“I’d say Ben is pretty busy about now,” he smirked.

Leia kept staring at him. Han wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Think Endor.”

Blood rushed to Leia’s cheeks. “Incorrigible,” she muttered.

Han gave her his trademark smirk. “You love it.”

 Well, he had her there. “You can ask the kid tomorrow, Princess,” the scoundrel promised.

“Damn right I will.”

 

At exactly noon Leia pressed Ben’s doorbell. Sure, some people might consider it inappropriately early, especially on a Saturday, but she knew her son well enough to know that, come hell or high water, Ben started his day with a six a.m. run. Which explained why Leia was so startled to see him opening the door in his pyjama pants and yawning. Only her years of political experience kept her face straight.

“Mom?”

“Hello, Benny.” Leia pushed past her stupefied son. “Are you going to offer your mother a cup of tea? Or do you only have your horrible black coffee..?”

This time, Leia’s jaw dropped. Not because Ben had tea in his house, a whole teapot of it. No, because at his kitchen counter, nursing a cup, was sitting that pretty girl, clad in an oversized dress shirt. _Ben’s_ dress shirt. It pained her to admit it, but _Han was right_.

From close-up, the girl looked even prettier with her wide hazel eyes, legs for days, and freckles. White suited her. Leia’s mind had immediately jumped to another hypothetical white garment when her son interrupted her musing.

“Mom, this is Rey.”

“Mrs. Organa, it’s such an honour,” the girl – Rey – gushed, flushing prettily.

“Just Leia, dear,” she smiled warmly. “Have we met before?”

“Not officially, you came to The Resistance on my first day…”

Leia’s brain finally connected the dots. _Rey_ , Dameron’s amazing new hire. Well, she just needed to have a chat with Poe. It had always physically pained him to keep his mouth shut so she would probably end up knowing everything from the girl’s pet’s name to her shoe size. Did Poe knew her ring size, too? Leia had one to fit the occasion.

“That’s wonderful,” the woman chirped. “I’m always happy to meet Benny’s friends. Which reminds me, would you like to come to dinner tomorrow?”

“Mom,” Ben groaned.

Rey paled. “I… don’t want to be a bother…”

“Oh, nonsense!”

“Mom!”

“My husband Han would be delighted to meet you!”

“ _Mama!_ ”

Leia blinked at her son innocently. “What, dear?”

“Could you please not invite Rey to dinner…”

The girl’s face fell. Leia narrowed her eyes dangerously.

“… before _I_ had a chance to do so?!” he demanded.

Both women gaped at him.

“You want to ask me out?” Rey gasped in amazement.

“Of course I do,” Ben responded.

_Duh_ , his mother added mentally. He was a lot of things, but not a complete moron.

“Wonderful!” Leia chirped as the two lovebirds stared at each other adoringly. “Take Rey out tonight and bring her to dinner tomorrow.” _And give me pretty grandkids to spoil_ , hung unspoken in the air. “Ah, I have to go,” she smiled. “Thanks for the tea and have a nice date.” No matter that Leia hadn’t even bothered to get a cup for herself. She got everything she came for.

The kids stared at her retreating back with equally gobsmacked expressions.

True soulmates, Leia thought happily. Wonderful. Now she only needed to get home to her laptop. One never knew when they might need a wedding venue. 


End file.
